*J 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 


THE  CORONATION  DUEL. 


Frontispiece 


The 

Shadow  of  the  Czar 


By 
John  R.  Carling 


Illustrated 


Boston 

Little,  Brown,  and  Company 
1903 


Copyright,  1902, 
BY  LITTLE,  BROWN,  AND  COMPANY. 


All  rights  reserved. 


Published  September,  1902 


UNIVERSITY    PRESS     •     JOHN    WILSON 
AND    SON      •       CAMBRIDGE.     U.  S.  A. 


Contents 

PROLOGUE 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

I.   THE  MEETING  IN  THE  FOREST i 

II.    THE  CASTLE  BY  THE  SEA 13 

III.  FEVER  AND  CONVALESCENCE 30 

IV.  THE  SEALED  CHAMBER 45 

V.   THE  RETURN  OF  THE  "MASTER"    ....  60 

THE   STORY 

I.   Two  YEARS  AFTERWARDS 78 

II.     CZERNOVESE    POLITICS 92 

III.  A  MENACE  FROM  THE  CZAR  ......  no 

IV.  THE  PRINCESS  AND  THE  CARDINAL  .     .     .     .  122 
V.    ON  THE  RUSSIAN  FRONTIER 136 

VI.    KATINA  THE  PATRIOT 149 

VII.    WHAT  HAPPENED  IN  RUSSOGRAD 170 

VIII.    PAUL  AND  THE  PRINCESS 186 

IX.   A  DISPLAY  OF  SWORDSMANSHIP 200 

X.   THE  DEED  OF  MICHAEL  THE  GUARDSMAN  .     .  215 

XL   THE  ENVOY  OF  THE  CZAR 230 

XII.   THE  POLISH  CONSPIRACY  . 254 

v 


Contents 

CHAPTBR  PAGE 

XIII.  THE  FATE  OF  THE  APPROPRIATION  BILL     .     .  274 

XIV.  HEARING  A  CRISIS 300 

XV.   THE  EVE  OF  THE  CORONATION 326 

XVI.   THE  CRIME  THAT  FAILED 343 

XVII.   THE  BEGINNING  OF  THE  CORONATION      .     .     .  361 

XVIII.   THE  GREAT  WHITE  CZAR 377 

XIX.  THE  CORONATION  DUEL 395 

XX.   ALL'S  WELL  THAT  ENDS  WELL 410 


VI 


THE   SHADOW  OF  THE  CZAR 


PROLOGUE 

CHAPTER    I 

THE    MEETING    IN    THE   FOREST 

PAUL  CRESSINGHAM,  captain  in  Her  Britannic 
Majesty's  army,  had  seen  some  active  service,  and 
was  therefore  not  unused  to  sleeping  on  the  ground 
at  night  wrapt  in  his  military  cloak.  Nevertheless  he 
had  a  civilian  weakness,  if  not  for  luxury,  at  least  for 
comfort,  and  much  preferred  a  four-poster,  whenever 
the  same  was  procurable. 

At  the  time,  however,  when  this  story  opens  it  seemed 
likely  that  if  he  slept  at  all,  his  slumbers  would  have  to 
be  a  la  belle  etoile,  for  he  found  himself  late  at  night 
wandering  in  a  deep  pine-forest  of  Dalmatia. 

Paul's  regiment  —  the  Twenty-fourth  Kentish  —  had 
its  headquarters  at  Corfu ;  for  his  were  the  days  when 
the  United  States  of  the  Ionian  Isles  formed  a  depen 
dency  of  the  British  Crown.  His  uncle,  Colonel  Gray- 
steel,  was  commander-in-chief  of  the  forces  stationed 
there,  —  a  fact  which  stood  Paul  in  good,  or  possibly  in 
bad,  stead,  for  thereby  he  was  enabled  to  obtain  more 
relaxation  than  is  consonant  with  the  traditions  of  the 
War  Office,  his  furloughs  being  extremely  numerous,  and 
spent  chiefly  in  exploring  odd  corners  of  the  Adriatic. 

Colonel  Graysteel  growled  occasionally  at  his  nephew's 
negligences.  Having  no  children  of  his  own,  he  had 
adopted  Paul  as  his  heir.  On  parade  there  was  no  finer 

i 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

figure  than  Paul's,  —  tall,  athletic,  soldierly.  With  hair 
of  a  golden  shade  and  having  a  tendency  to  curl,  with 
soft  hazel  eyes  that  could  look  stern,  however,  at  times, 
and  with  graceful  drooping  moustache,  he  was  first  fa 
vorite  with  the  ladies  of  the  English  colony  at  Corfu, 
especially  as  his  elegance  in  waltzing  was  the  despair  of 
all  his  brother-officers.  He  was  an  excellent  shot,  a 
deadly  swordsman,  a  dashing  rider,  a  youth  of  spirit 
and  bravery.  To  one  of  this  character  much  must  be 
forgiven,  and  the  old  colonel  forgave  accordingly. 

Nevertheless  when  Paul  one  fine  morning  walked  into 
his  uncle's  villa  at  breakfast-time  and  requested  furlough 
for  no  other  reason  than  a  wish  to  explore  the  wilds  of 
Dalmatia,  there  was  a  slight  outbreak  of  wrath  on  the 
part  of  the  commander-in-chief. 

"  Another  leave  of  absence  ?  I  don't  believe  you  've 
put  in  three  months'  service  this  year." 

"  Four  months,  five  days,"  corrected  the  other  amiably. 

;'  The  Commissioner  's  beginning  to  notice  your  va 
garies." 

"  Hang  the  Commissioner,"  replied  the  young  man, 
irreverently.  "  Let  him  give  me  something  worthy  of 
doing,  and  I  '11  do  it.  Get  up  a  war,  say  against  Austria 
or  Turkey,  the  latter  preferred ;  show  me  the  enemy  and 
you  '11  find  me  to  the  fore.  But  this  playing  at  soldiers ; 
this  marching  and  counter-marching ;  this  inspection  of 
kit,  and  attendance  at  parade,  —  I  'm  growing  wearied 
of  it.  I  'm  rusting  here,  —  I,  whose  motto  is  '  Action.' 
Am  I  to  remain  for  ever  in  these  cursed  malarial  isles, 
a  mere  drilling  machine  ?  " 

"  The  drillings  pay  when  comes  the  day,"  retorted  the 
colonel,  so  surprised  at  this  betrayal  into  rhyme  that  he 
repeated  it.  "  And  what 's  this  new  craze  of  yours  for 
Dalmatia?  Wild  outlandish  place!  Nobody  ever  goes 
there." 

"  Precisely  my  reason  for  visiting  it,"  returned  Paul, 

2 


The  Meeting  in  the  Forest 

lunging  with  his  sabre-point  at  a  mosquito  that  had  just 
settled  on  a  panel  of  the  wall.  "  Why  go  where  every 
body  goes?  My  tastes  run  in  the  direction  of  the  odd, 
the  romantic,  the  wild,  the  —  anything  that 's  opposed 
to  the  common  round  of  existence.  I  fancy  I  shall  find 
it  in  Dalmatia." 

"  You  '11  find  yourself  in  the  hands  of  banditti.  That 's 
where  you  '11  be.  The  mountains  swarm  with  them.  And 
I  'm  damned  if  I  '11  pay  your  ransom,"  cried  the  colonel 
with  returning  wrath,  as  he  recalled  the  liberality  and 
frequency  with  which  Paul  drew  upon  his  purse.  "  Re 
member  the  case  of  young  Lennox,  and  the  severed  ear 
sent  to  his  father  in  an  envelope.  Ten  thousand  florins ! 
That 's  what  the  old  chap  had  to  pay  to  get  his  son  out 
of  the  clutches  of  the  infernal  scoundrels,  and  never  a 
thaler  has  he  been  able  to  recover  from  the  Austrian 
Government.  And  now  you  would  run  yourself  and 
me  into  a  similar  noose !  " 

"  Banditti  won't  fix  my  ransom  at  so  high  a  rate.  Be 
sides,"  added  Paul,  critically  contemplating  the  Damas 
cene  inlaying  of  his  sabre,  "  they  've  first  got  to  take  me." 

"  Well,  if  they  '11  fix  it  at  what  you  're  worth,"  said  his 
uncle,  grimly,  "  I  shall  not  object  to  the  payment." 

Ultimately  Paul  obtained  the  desired  furlough  by  re 
sorting  to  his  usual  threat;  he  would  sell  his  commis 
sion,  buy  a  string  of  camels,  and  spend  the  rest  of  his 
life  in  trying  to  discover  the  sources  of  the  Nile. 

Thus  it  came  to  pass  that  a  few  days  after  this  inter 
view  young  Captain  Cressingham  embarked  on  board 
the  Austrian  Lloyd's  steamer  Metternich,  bound  for 
Zara,  the  clean,  well-built  capital  of  Dalmatia,  directing 
his  voyage  to  this  city  in  order  to  renew  old  memories 
with  some  former  college-chums,  who  were  about  to  pass 
their  summer  holiday  in  its  neighborhood. 

Finding  that  he  had  anticipated  the  arrival  of  his 
friends  by  a  few  days,  Paul  resolved  to  spend  the  interval 

3 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

in  taking  a  pedestrian  tour  southward  as  far  as  Sebenico : 
and  accordingly  he  set  off,  without  either  companion  or 
servant,  and  wearing  his  uniform,  partly  because  as  a 
soldier  he  was  proud  of  it,  partly  because  experience  had 
taught  him  that  in  these  eastern  regions  a  uniform  in 
spires  respect  in  the  minds  of  innkeepers,  if  not  in  those 
of  banditti. 

He  passed  the  first  night  of  this  journey  at  a  wayside 
hostelry. 

At  sunrise  he  resumed  his  course,  walking  amid  pic 
turesque  scenery  —  on  the  right  the  sparkling  sea,  on  the 
left  glorious  pine-clad  mountains. 

Late  in  the  afternoon  Paul,  who  had  followed  the  post- 
road,  reached  a  point  where  it  entered  a  magnificent 
forest.  As  this  wild-wood  was  just  the  sort  of  place 
where  banditti  might  be  expected  to  lurk,  Paul's  first 
impulse  was  to  turn  aside,  and  to  take  the  more  circuit 
ous  way  along  the  sea-beach. 

"  You  fear !  "  a  secret  voice  seemed  to  whisper :  and 
the  reproach  decided  his  route.  Not  even  in  his  own  eyes 
would  he  be  a  coward. 

This  choice  of  a  road  was  but  a  small  matter,  one  might 
think;  yet  it  was  to  form  the  turning-point  of  his  life. 

He  walked  forward  at  a  quick  pace,  and,  with  an  eye 
to  a  challenge  from  some  outlaw  of  the  forest,  he  kept 
his  hand  constantly  upon  the  butt  of  his  revolver. 

He  did  not  meet  with  a  bandit,  however,  but  with  a 
bear  —  the  first  he  had  ever  seen  in  a  wild,  free  state. 

The  creature  came  shambling  from  the  wood  on  one 
side  of  the  road  a  few  yards  in  front  of  him,  and  there  it 
stood,  with  its  eyes  fixed  upon  the  wayfarer,  as  if  ques 
tioning  the  right  of  man  to  invade  these  solitudes. 

"  An  adventure  at  last !  "  murmured  Paul,  tingling 
with  excitement.  "  Ursu.f  Styriacus  from  his  size.  Now 
to  emulate  Here  ward  the  Wake." 

As  previously  stated  Paul  was  an  excellent  shot,  and 

4 


The  Meeting  in  the  Forest 

inasmuch  as  his  revolver  was  six-chambered  he  had  little 
fear  as  to  the  result  of  the  encounter. 

The  killing  of  a  bear  is  the  easiest  thing  in  the  world, 
at  least  according  to  the  theory  set  forth  by  a  hunter 
whom  Paul  had  met  the  previous  evening  at  the  hostelry. 

"  If  you  fire  at  Bruin  while  he  is  on  all-fours,  you 
waste  powder  and  shot,  for  his  tough  shaggy  sides  are 
almost  impervious  to  bullets.  You  must  face  him  at 
close  quarters,  and  when  he  rises  on  his  hind  legs  to  wel 
come  you  with  that  hug  which  is  his  characteristic,  then  is 
the  time  to  aim  at  the  vital  parts.  If  the  shots  fail  to  take 
effect,  and  you  find  yourself  in  his  embrace,  you  simply 
draw  your  knife,  give  the  necessary  stab,  and  the  thing 
is  done." 

The  plan  seems  beautifully  simple. 

Unfortunately,  or  perhaps  fortunately,  Paul  did  not 
have  the  opportunity  of  reducing  the  theory  to  practice; 
for,  as  he  slowly  advanced,  revolver  in  hand,  and  with 
his  eye  alert  to  every  movement  of  the  bear,  the  latter 
ambled  off  again  into  the  wood. 

Resolving  to  give  chase,  Paul  turned  aside  from  the 
road.  He  would  shoot  that  bear,  bring  back  some  fel 
lows  from  the  inn  to  flay  the  animal,  and  present  the  skin 
to  his  uncle. 

But  Colonel  Graysteel  was  not  destined  to  decorate  his 
smoking-room  with  a  trophy  of  his  nephew's  valor,  for 
though  Paul  followed  hard  upon  his  quarry,  its  rate  of 
progress  surpassed  his  own.  In  a  few  moments  it  had 
passed  from  view,  and  all  the  shouting  and  random  firing 
on  the  part  of  Paul  failed  to  provoke  the  return  of  the 
animal. 

"  Talk  no  more  to  me  of  the  spirit  of  bears,"  he  mut 
tered,  as  he  put  up  his  weapon. 

Paul  turned  to  resume  his  journey  in  some  vexation  of 
spirit  —  a  feeling  which  did  not  diminish  as  he  began  to 
realize  that  he  had  lost  his  bearings.  All  around  him 

5 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

rose  the  lofty  pines,  obscuring  his  view  of  the  road  from 
which  he  had  been  diverted  by  the  chase  of  the  bear. 
There  was  nothing  to  indicate  the  way.  He  carried  an 
ordnance-map  of  the  district,  and  the  forest  was  marked 
large  upon  it,  but  he  was  unable  to  tell  what  particular 
point  of  the  map  corresponded  with  his  own  position  at 
that  moment.  Moreover,  he  was  without  a  compass ; 
aod,  to  add  to  his  difficulty,  the  sun  had  set. 

Seek  as  he  would  he  could  not  find  the  road.  Now  and 
agaijj  he  shouted  at  the  top  of  his  voice,  even  at  the  risk 
of  attracting  the  notice  of  persons  less  friendly  than  char 
coal-burners  or  wood-cutters,  but  his  cries  met  with  no 
response.  The  silence  and  solitude  of  the  leafy  vistas 
around  were  more  suggestive  of  the  primeval  back-woods 
of  the  New  World  than  of  an  European  forest. 

For  several  hours  he  walked,  or  rather  stumbled  along, 
in  the  darkness,  wandering  this  way  or  that,  as  blind 
fancy  directed,  and  haunted  by  the  reflection  that  Bruin 
might  return  with  one  of  his  confreres,  eager  to  dine  off 
a  too  venturesome  tourist. 

He  had  given  himself  up  as  hopelessly  lost,  when  he 
came  to  a  spot  where  the  foliage  above  his  head  suddenly 
lifted,  revealing  a  sky  of  the  darkest  blue  set  with  glitter 
ing  stars.  This  sky  extending  in  a  broad  band  far  to  the 
left  and  far  to  the  right  proclaimed  the  welcome  fact  that 
he  had  hit  upon  the  road  again. 

He  looked  at  his  watch,  and  found  that  it  was  close 
upon  midnight.  That  infernal  Bruin  had  delayed  his 
journey  by  six  hours. 

Even  now  he  had  no  idea  which  way  to  turn  for  Se- 
benico,  till  his  eyes,  roaming  over  as  much  of  the  sky  as 
was  contained  within  his  circle  of  vision,  caught  the  sign 
of  Ursa  Major. 

"  Poetic  justice!  "  he  smiled.  "  Misled  by  the  earthly 
bear,  guided  by  the  heavenly." 

Knowing  that  Sebenico  lay  to  the  south,  he  accordingly 

6 


The  Meeting  in  the  Forest 

set  his  face  in  that  direction  with  intent,  on  reaching  the 
first  milestone,  to  ascertain  from  his  ordnance-map  the 
position  of  the  nearest  village  or  inn. 

He  stepped  forward  briskly,  and  keeping  a  sharp  look 
out  soon  came  upon  a  milestone  glimmering  white  upon 
one  side  of  the  road.  Kneeling  down  he  struck  a  match 
—  like  the  revolver,  a  recent  invention  in  1845  —  an<^  by 
the  faint  glow  learned  that  he  was  thirty  miles  from 
Zara. 

Taking  out  his  map,  together  with  the  "  Tourist's 
Manual  for  Dalmatia,"  he  proceeded  to  make  a  study  of 
both  by  the  brief  and  unsatisfactory  illuminations  af 
forded  by  a  succession  of  lucifers. 

"  After  to-night,"  he  muttered,  "  I  shall  always  carry  a 
small  lantern  with  me;  likewise  a  compass." 

Now  while  Paul  was  kneeling  there,  intent  upon  book 
and  map,  he  received  the  greatest  surprise  of  his  life. 

"Which  way  does  Zara  lie?" 

The  question  was  spoken  in  Italian  —  the  common 
language  of  Dalmatia  —  by  a  voice  so  soft  and  musical 
that  the  like  had  never  been  heard  by  Paul. 

When  he  had  risen  to  his  feet  he  stood  mute  with  as 
tonishment,  a  passage  from  "Christabel"  floating  through 
his  mind,  — 

"  I  guess  't  was  frightful  there  to  see 
A  lady  so  richly  clad  as  she  — 
Beautiful  exceedingly ! " 

For,  in  truth,  it  was  a  lady  that  Paul  saw  standing  be 
fore  him  at  midnight  hour  beneath  the  light  of  the  stars 
in  the  depth  of  the  Dalmatian  forest ;  and,  like  the  lady  of 
the  poem,  she  was  both  richly  dressed  and  marvellously 
beautiful  —  lovely  as  the  soft  beauty  of  a  southern  night ; 
with  raven  hair,  and  dusky  eyes  that  seemed  the  mirrors 
of  a  sweet  melancholy.  She  wore  a  long  Dalmatian 
capote  with  the  hood  drawn  over  her  head.  The  capote 

7 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

being  partly  open  revealed  a  costume  of  the  richest  silk. 
Decorated  with  curious  gold  brocade,  and  with  a  wealth 
of  chain-work  and  gems,  this  dress,  though  it  might  have 
been  pronounced  bizarre  by  the  more  sober  taste  of  West 
ern  ladies,  harmonized  in  Paul's  judgment  with  the  wild 
oriental  beauty  of  the  wearer. 

"  Pardon  me  if  I  have  startled  you.  Which  way  does 
Zara  lie?" 

And  the  astounded  Paul,  usually  full  of  assurance  in 
the  presence  of  women,  could  do  nothing  on  the  present 
occasion  but  simply  stammer  forth,  while  pointing  to  the 
north,  — 

"  That  is  the  road  to  Zara.." 

"  I  thank  you,  signer." 

With  a  stately  inclination  of  her  head  she  drew  her 
capote  more  closely  around  her,  and  walked  away  in  the 
direction  indicated  by  Paul  as  quietly  and  confidently  as 
if  the  lonely  forest-road  were  the  Boulevard  des  Italiens, 
and  the  distant  Zara  a  pretty  toy-shop  a  few  yards  ahead ! 

Different  people,  different  customs.  Was  it  the  habit 
of  young  Dalmatian  women  to  take  solitary  midnight 
walks  through  bear-haunted  forests? 

Recovering  from  his  surprise  Paul  hastened  after  her. 

"  Signorina,  you  cannot  walk  alone  to  Zara." 

"  And  why  cannot  I  walk  alone  to  Zara  ? "  said  the 
young  lady,  facing  Paul  and  assuming  a  hauteur  that  had 
a  somewhat  chilling  effect  upon  his  gallantry. 

"  Perils  beset  you  —  banditti,   for   example." 

"  With  native  Dalmatians  the  person  of  a  woman  is 
held  sacred.  No  one,  not  even  a  robber,  will  do  me 
hurt." 

Subsequent  inquiry  on  the  part  of  Paul  proved  that  the 
lady  had  spoken  correctly.  Indeed  he  learned  that  if  a 
stranger  travelling  in  this  region  were  to  place  himself 
under  the  escort  of  a  woman,  he  would  be  free  from 
molestation. 

8 


The  Meeting  in  the  Forest 

This  high  standard  of  chivalry,  curious  among  a  people 
otherwise  barbarous,  explained  the  lady's  confidence  and 
fearlessness  in  approaching  him. 

"  But,  signorina,"  remonstrated  Paul,  "  the  way  is  so 
long.  Zara  is  thirty  miles  off.  And  you  would  walk  that 
distance  on  foot !  Consider  the  fatigue." 

"  I  can  sit  and  rest,  and  when  tired  can  sleep  for  a  time 
on  the  ground  as  I  did  last  night.  I  must  reach  Zara," 
she  added,  with  a  shiver  as  of  fear. 

Her  dress  of  jewels  gave  proof  of  her  wealth,  her  voice 
and  manner  of  refinement.  It  was  amazing,  then,  to  hear 
her  talk  of  sleeping  al  fresco  on  the  turf  like  a  gipsy  or  a 
soldier. 

"  I  thank  you,  signer,  but  I  do  not  require  an  escort." 
So  saying  she  walked  away  again  with  the  dignity  of  a 
princess,  while  Paul  in  his  bewilderment  gazed  after  her 
retreating  figure. 

"Here's  a  mystery,  forsooth!  Who  is  she?  What  is 
she  ?  What  lovely  eyes !  And  what  a  witching  face ! 
Now  how  should  a  fellow  act  in  a  case  like  this  ?  Ought 
I  not  to  follow  her?" 

Paul  had  no  wish  to  force  his  protection  upon  a  young 
woman  averse  to  it,  but  the  circumstances  seemed  to  jus 
tify  him  in  exercising  some  sort  of  surveillance  over  her, 
for  though  the  Dalmatians  might  be  such  paladins  as  she 
had  represented,  there  were  dangers  other  than  those  aris 
ing  from  the  malevolence  of  human  beings  —  bears,  for 
example.  If  harm  should  befall  her,  then  his  would  be 
the  blame  for  permitting  her  to  go  on  her  way  alone.  But 
as  she  was  opposed  to  his  presence  he  shrank  from  walk 
ing  by  her  side.  She  might  insist  upon  his  retiring,  and 
refusal  or  obedience  would  be  equally  distasteful  to  him. 
His  course  was  clear;  the  protection  must  be  exercised 
from  a  distance,  and  without  her  knowledge. 

Accordingly  he  followed  in  the  wake  of  the  young 
woman,  screening  himself  from  a  possible  backward 

9 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

glance  on  her  part  by  keeping  within  the  covert  of  the 
trees  that  skirted  the  roadside,  and  stepping  out  from 
time  to  time  to  note  her  progress. 

Her  slow  and  halting  pace  gave  clear  indication  that 
she  was  worn  with  travelling,  and  half-an-hour  had  not 
passed  when  Paul  observed  her  swaying  to  one  side  as  if 
about  to  fall.  Too  tired  to  proceed  farther,  she  turned  to 
a  grassy  mound  beside  the  road  and  sat  down,  resting 
her  brow  upon  her  hand,  the  very  picture  of  languor  and 
despondency. 

The  sight  of  her  helplessness  moved  Paul  strangely. 
No  longer  concealing  himself,  he  walked  boldly  forward 
in  the  centre  of  the  road  that  she  might  observe  his 
coming. 

"  Signor,  you  are  following  me,''  she  said,  with  a  touch 
of  reproach  in  her  voice. 

"I  plead  guilty." 

"  Wishing  to  protect  me  from  imaginary  perils  ?  " 

"  Imaginary !  You  may  be  safe  from  men,  but  have 
you  made  a  truce  with  the  beasts?  A  huge  bear  crossed 
this  road  a  few  hours  ago." 

The  lady  gave  a  start  of  fear.  Paul  saw  his  advantage 
and  pursued  it. 

"  Signorina,  I  am  an  Englishman  —  a  military  officer, 
as  you  see,"  he  remarked,  putting  aside  his  cloak  and  re 
vealing  his  handsome  uniform  of  dark  blue  adorned  with 
silver  facings.  "  I  do  not  ask  who  or  whence  you  are ; 
but  whether  you  be  princess  or  peasant,  I  cannot  let  you 
go  on  your  way  alone  and  unprotected." 

She  did  not  reply,  and  Paul  continued  in  a  somewhat 
firmer  tone,  — 

"  You  do  wrong  to  repel  me.  You  are  too  exhausted 
to  walk  farther  without  aid." 

"  You  speak  the  truth,"  she  murmured.  "  I  am  faint. 
I  have  eaten  nothing  for  twelve  hours." 

Her  tone  went  to  Paul's  heart,  the  more  so  as  he  had 

10 


The  Meeting  in  the  Forest 

nothing  to  offer  her  in  the  shape  of  food,  for  he  had  long 
ago  consumed  his  last  morsel. 

"  You  must  think  it  strange,"  said  the  lady,  after  a 
brief  pause,  "  for  a  woman  to  be  wandering  in  this  hour 
in  such  a  spot." 

"  I  do  not  press  for  confidences  —  only  for  permission 
to  conduct  you  to  a  place  of  safety." 

"  But  learn  the  risk  you  run  by  so  doing.  It  was  not 
from  churlishness  that  I  refused  your  escort  just  now. 
Signer,  I  will  be  frank  with  you,  believing  that  you  will 
not  betray  me.  I  have  escaped  from  a  convent,  where  I 
was  forcibly  detained,  and  I  fear  pursuit  by  the  Austrian 
gendarmerie.  Hence,  by  aiding  me,  you  may  come  into 
collision  with  the  authorities.  Why  should  I  bring  trouble 
upon  you  ?  Now  you  understand  my  desire  for  Zara.  I 
hope  to  find  there  some  English  vessel.  Once  beneath  its 
flag  I  shall  be  safe." 

"  You  fear  pursuit  ?  Then  you  require  an  arm  for  your 
defence.  So  long  as  I  can  handle  sword  and  pistol  no 
one  shall  carry  you  off  against  your  will.  Signorina, 
you  must  come  with  me." 

"  And  where  would  you  take  me?  "  she  asked  in  a  tone 
that  showed  she  was  yielding. 

"  Not  far  from  here,  according  to  my  guide-book,  is  a 
path  leading  down  to  the  sea.  On  the  shore,  which  Is  dis 
tant  about  a  mile,  stands  a  building,  old  but  tenanted,  and 
called  Castel  Nuovo.  This  is  the  nearest  human  habita 
tion,"  continued  Paul.  "  Before  meeting  you  I  had  in 
tended  to  try  my  fortune  there.  Now,  suppose  we  go 
together?  As  the  Dalmatians  are  such  respecters  of 
women  they  will  not  refuse  you  hospitality.  Rest  at  this 
castle  for  the  night,  and  to-morrow  you  shall  find  an 
easier  way  of  reaching  Zara  than  journeying  thither  on 
foot." 

The  young  lady  was  not  long  in  coming  to  a  decision. 
A  roof,  food,  and  a  bed,  and  these  distant  but  a  mile, 

ii 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

offered  a  more  attractive  prospect  than  supperless  repose 
on  the  dank  turf  of  the  dark  bear-haunted  wild-wood. 
She  rose  to  her  feet,  looked  intently  at  Paul,  and  read  in 
his  clear  eyes  the  glance  of  a  good  conscience. 

"  Take  me  with  you/'  she  said,  with  the  simplicity  of  a 
child. 

Paul  bowed,  and  offered  his  arm,  which  she  accepted. 
The  touch  of  her  little  hand  thrilled  him  with  a  strange 
pleasure. 


12 


CHAPTER    II 

THE    CASTLE   BY   THE   SEA 

WALKING  onward  a  few  paces  they  came  to 
the  path  mentioned  in  the  guide-book. 
Few  words  were  spoken,  for  Paul,  knowing 
that  his  fair  companion  was  tired,  famished,  and  sleepy, 
purposely  refrained  from  conversation. 

Once,  however,  the  silence  was  broken,  when  the  lady 
timidly  ventured  to  ask  his  name,  which  being  given,  he 
in  turn  requested  the  like  favor  from  her. 

"  I  have  been  taught  to  call  myself  Barbara,"  was  her 
answer,  which  Paul  could  not  but  think  was  a  somewhat 
odd  way  of  expressing  herself. 

Barbara !  If  he  had  not  thought  it  a  pretty  name  be 
fore,  he  certainly  thought  it  such  now. 

"  And  Barbara,"  he  murmured,  more  to  himself  than 
to  his  companion,  "  means  '  strange.' ': 

"  I  fear  you  will  find  my  character  correspondent." 

"  But  you  have  a  second  name?  "  smiled  Paul. 

"  Presumably,  but  I  am  in  ignorance  respecting  it,  for 
my  parentage  is  unknown  to  me.  Indeed,  signer,  it  is 
true,"  she  added  sadly.  "  I  am  a  mystery  to  myself." 

Her  statement  filled  Paul  with  wonder,  but  though  de 
sirous  of  learning  her  history  he  recognized  that  the  time 
was  scarcely  yet  ripe  to  press  for  confidences. 

The  path  traversed  by  them  formed  a  gradual  descent, 
in  parts  so  steep  that  Barbara  would  often  have  slipped 
but  for  Paul's  strong  arm.  The  murmur  of  the  sea  was 
now  heard ;  a  faint  breeze  blew  coldly ;  finally  emerging 
from  the  wood,  they  found  themselves  on  an  open  grassy 
space  shelving  down  to  the  beach. 

13 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

There,  distant  about  a  hundred  yards,  stood  the  build 
ing  that  they  sought  —  Castel  Nuovo. 

The  retention  of  the  epithet  "  Nuovo  "  was  perhaps  in 
tended  as  a  joke  on  the  part  of  the  Dalmatians.  Like  the 
rest  of  earthly  things  the  castle  must  once  have  been  new, 
but  that  once,  judging  by  appearances,  was  a  long  time 
ago.  The  greater  part  of  the  edifice  was  in  ruins,  the 
stars  glimmering  through  the  vacant  window  spaces 
and  through  the  gaps  that  yawned  in  the  ivy-mantled 
walls. 

A  massive,  square  built  tower  perched  on  a  rock  that 
overhung  the  sea,  seemed  the  portion  likeliest  to  be  ten 
anted,  if  tenanted  at  all,  for  signs  of  human  presence  were 
wanting.  Neither  light  nor  sound  came  from  it. 

Silent  and  ghostly  in  the  cold  starlight  rose  the  gray 
tower,  the  sea  splashing  with  melancholy  murmur  at  the 
foot  of  the  crag. 

The  brief  notice  contained  in  the  guide-book — "Castel 
Nuovo,  an  old  mansion,  residence  of  the  Marquis  Or- 
sino  "  —  did  not  suggest  a  place  like  this,  a  place  seeming 
to  be  desolated  by  the  curse  of  some  past  tragedy ;  and  as 
Paul  contemplated  the  scene,  a  feeling  of  misgiving  stole 
over  him,  • —  a  misgiving  which  found  reflection  in  Bar 
bara's  face. 

Seating  his  companion  upon  a  fallen  column,  Paul 
went  forward  to  reconnoitre.  Crossing  the  grass-grown 
pavement  of  what  had  once  been  a  stately  loggia,  he 
mounted  the  mossy  fractured  steps  leading  to  the  door  of 
the  tower.  On  the  lintel  was  sculptured,  "  Marino  Fa- 
liero,  1348"  —proof  that  the  castle  dated  from  the  days 
when  the  Venetians  held  sway  in  Dalmatia. 

No  sooner  had  Paul  rapped  upon  the  massive  oaken 
door  than  a  terrible  din  arose  from  within.  His  summons 
had  startled  into  wakefulness  a  menagerie  of  dogs,  and 
these,  judging  by  their  deep  bass,  brutes  of  the  largest 
size. 

14 


The  Castle  by  the  Sea 

A  casement  high  above  the  portal  opened  immediately, 
and  an  old  man's  voice  cried,  — 

"Is  that  you,  Master?" 

The  question  was  spoken  in  Romaic,  a  language  with 
which  Paul  had  become  familiar  by  reason  of  his  resi 
dence  in  Corfu. 

He  directed  his  eyes  upward,  but  the  speaker  was  in 
visible.  Familiar  perhaps  with  the  attacks  of  banditti,  he 
was  too  cautious  to  expose  his  person  as  a  target  for  a 
pistol-shot. 

Stepping  back,  the  better  to  be  heard,  and  speaking  in 
Romaic,  the  better  to  be  understood,  Paul  explained  his 
object  in  knocking,  withholding  the  fact,  however,  that 
the  lady  with  him  had  escaped  from  a  convent,  lest  it 
should  dispose  the  old  man  to  decline  so  dangerous  a 
fugitive. 

"  You  cannot  stay  here,"  was  the  answer,  when  Paul 
had  finished  speaking. 

"  I  will  pay  you,  and  that  handsomely,  for  the  trouble 
we  give." 

"  It 's  not  a  question  of  money.  This  house  is  not 
mine,  and  I  cannot  open  it  to  whom  I  will.  I  have  re 
ceived  strict  orders  from  the  Master  to  admit  no  one 
during  his  absence.  If  he  should  return  and  find  me 
entertaining  strangers,  I  should  suffer." 

"  Your  master,  whoever  he  may  be,  never  meant  that 
you  should  turn  away  at  midnight  a  young  lady  exhausted 
by  a  twelve  hours'  wandering  in  the  forest  without  food. 
I  ask  not  for  myself,  but  for  her.  It  is  but  for  a  single 
night." 

"  A  single  hour  would  be  too  long." 

Paul  stood  dismayed  by  the  old  man's  churlishness. 
He  pictured  Barbara's  look  of  distress  on  announcing 
that  he  had  brought  her  on  a  bootless  errand. 

"  You  a  Greek,"  he  cried,  "  to  refuse  hospitality  to  an 
Englishman,  whose  uncle  fought  for  Greece  — 

15 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

This  appeal  wrought  a  remarkable  change  in  the  old 
man. 

"  What  do  you  say  you  are  ?  " 

"  An  Englishman,  nephew  of  Colonel  Graysteel,  com 
mandant  of  the  British  forces  at  Corfu,  and  — 

"  An  Englishman !  Why  the  devil  did  n't  you  say  so 
before?  I  took  you  for  a  damned  Austrian.  And  you 
are  the  nephew  of  old  '  Fighting  Graysteel '  ?  I  was  with 
him  at  Missolonghi.  Wait.  I  '11  be  down  in  a  moment. 
Hi,  Jacintha,  Jacintha,"  he  added,  addressing  some  one 
within.  "  Get  up,  or  I  '11  throw  something  at  your  head." 

The  old  man  withdrew  from  the  casement,  and  Paul 
concluded  that  he  was  coming  downstairs,  for  the  baying 
of  the  dogs  gradually  ceased ;  there  were  sounds  sugges 
tive  of  the  idea  that  he  was  kicking  them  into  some  place 
of  safety. 

"Jacintha?"  thought  Paul.  "The  old  fellow's  wife, 
daughter,  or  servant?  Whoever  she  may  be,  I  am  glad 
for  the  young  lady's  sake  that  a  woman  lives  here." 

Footsteps  were  now  audible  in  the  passage.  A  little 
panel  in  the  upper  part  of  the  door  slid  aside  revealing 
an  iron  grating,  behind  which  appeared  a  man's  face  set 
in  a  square  of  light. 

"  No  tricks  with  me.  Now,  mylordos,  if  you  are  what 
you  say  you  are,  speak  to  me  in  English,  for  though  I 
don't  talk  the  language  myself  I  understand  it  when 
spoken  by  others." 

"  Open  the  door,  and  give  me  some  supper  —  "  began 
Paul. 

"  Ah !  you  're  an  Englishman,  all  over,"  interrupted 
the  other  with  a  dry  chuckle.  "  The  first  thing  he  thinks 
of  is  his  belly." 

And  the  inmate,  apparently  satisfied  with  this  credential 
of  nationality,  swung  open  the  great  iron-studded  door 
and  revealed  himself. 

He  was  a  little  man,  and  though  past  seventy  years  of 

16 


The  Castle  by  the  Sea 

age,  his  form  had  lost  little  of  the  elasticity  and  strength 
of  youth.  His  thin  curved  nose  was  extremely  suggest 
ive  of  the  beak  of  an  eagle,  a  resemblance  increased  by 
his  bright  piercing  eyes.  His  hair  was  white  and  flowing, 
and  his  moustaches  were  of  such  a  length  that  he  had  tied 
them  together  at  the  back  of  his  head. 

His  attire  was  gorgeous  in  the  extreme,  and  he  was 
evidently  very  proud  of  the  fact.  He  wore  an  open  jacket 
that  was  a  perfect  marvel  of  silk,  velvet,  and  rows  of 
silver  buttons ;  a  white  fustanella  or  kilt  glittering  with 
embroidery  of  gold ;  and  gaiters  and  slippers  rich  with 
the  same  decoration.  Altogether  he  was  one  of  the 
strangest  creatures  that  Paul  had  ever  beheld. 

In  one  hand  he  carried  a  yataghan,  and  in  the  other  a 
lighted  lamp,  and  he  bowed  low  with  theatrical  grace. 

"  Since  you  are  an  Englishman,  enter.  Welcome,  ten 
thousand  welcomes,"  he  cried,  waving  his  sparkling  yat 
aghan  around,  as  if  inviting  Paul  to  take  entire  possession 
of  the  castle.  "  Every  Englishman  is  my  brother,  for 
did  not  your  countrymen  fight  for  the  liberation  of 
Greece?  Can  we  ever  forget  Navarino?  You  see  before 
you  the  friend,  the  companion-in-arms  of  General  Church 
and  Lord  Cochrane.  You  must  have  heard  your  uncle 
talk  of  me,  —  Lambro  the  Turcophage,  with  whose  name 
Ottoman  mothers  still  frighten  their  children,  by  telling 
them  how  Lambro,  whenever  food  ran  short  in  the  camp, 
never  hesitated  to  roast  and  eat  his  Turkish  prisoners. 
Ah !  "  Like  a  ghoul  he  smacked  his  lips  at  the  memory 
of  those  repasts.  "  Yes,  to  me,  and  to  men  like  me, 
Greece  owes  the  freedom  that  she  now  enjoys.  I  should 
be  great  to-day,  and  hold  high  office  under  King  Otho: 
but  what  am  I  ?  What  you  see.  The  custodian  of  an  old 
ruin.  This  is  national  gratitude,  mylordos.  It  is  thus 
that  Hellas  rewards  those  who  have  shed  their  blood  for 
her." 

Paul  immediately  recognized  in  the  speaker  one  of  the 

2  17 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

class  called  Palicars,  men  who  had  fought  for  the  inde 
pendence  of  Greece  in  the  twenties ;  in  their  youth  half 
soldiers  and  half  brigands,  but  always  full  of  patriotism 
and  bold  as  lions  against  the  Turk;  in  old  age  too  often 
apt  to  be  garrulous,  boastful,  vain. 

Muttering  some  words  of  gratitude  for  the  proffered 
hospitality,  Paul  immediately  flew  off  for  Barbara,  whom 
he  found  asleep.  In  a  state  of  weariness  she  had  rested 
her  arm  on  a  stone  balustrade,  pillowed  her  cheek  on  her 
sleeve,  and  without  intending  it  had  fallen  asleep  in  that 
attitude. 

"  Fie,  signorina,"  said  Paul  with  chiding  smile,  as  he 
gently  roused  her.  "  Sleeping  in  the  open  air !  Do  you 
court  malaria?  Come,  there  is  better  rest  for  you  in  yon 
tower,  where  you  will  not  be  the  only  lady.  Our  host  is 
a  somewhat  queer  character,  but  —  '  any  port  in  a  storm,' 
as  our  English  proverb  has  it." 

He  assisted  her  to  rise,  and  helped  her  across  the  dilap 
idated  loggia,  and  up  the  steps  to  the  entrance  of  the  hall 
where  Lambro  stood  waiting  to  receive  them. 

But  no  sooner  had  the  old  Palicar  obtained  a  clear 
view  of  Barbara  than  his  eyes  almost  started  from  their 
sockets.  His  shaking  hand  dropped  the  lamp,  and  the 
hall  was  plunged  into  sudden  darkness.  With  the  ejacu 
lation  of  "  Kyrie  eleison  "  the  warrior,  who  was  wont  to 
boast  that  he  had  fought  in  a  hundred  battles,  fled  at  the 
sight  of  a  young  maiden's  face. 

At  the  end  of  the  corridor  he  recovered  himself,  and 
shouted,  "  Jacintha,  Jacintha,  come  down." 

"What  is  the  matter?"  said  a  voice  at  his  elbow. 

"  Matter  enough,"  replied  Lambro,  grasping  the 
woman's  shoulders  and  whispering  in  her  ear.  "  The 
dead  have  returned  to  life.  Walk  to  the  door,  pick  up 
the  lamp,  re-light  it,  and  look  at  the  lady  that  the  Eng 
lishman  has  brought  with  him." 

Jacintha  did  as  bidden.  The  lamp,  re-kindled,  showed 

18 


The  Castle  by  the  Sea 

her  as  a  little  fair-haired  woman  of  subdued  demeanor, 
her  face  retaining  traces  of  former  good  looks. 

She  cast  one  glance  at  Barbara,  and  immediately  gave 
a  strange  gasp. 

"  In  God's  name,"  she  murmured,  "  who  are  you?" 

"  A  hard  question,"  returned  Barbara,  with  a  touch  of 
bitterness  in  her  voice,  "  seeing  that  I  myself  cannot  an 
swer  it." 

This  reply  seemed  to  enhance  Jacintha's  fear.  She 
stood  mutely  staring  at  Barbara,  who  began  to  feel  some 
thing  of  resentment  at  the  woman's  strange  manner. 

"  I  will  depart  if  you  wish  it,"  she  said,  turning  away 
with  quiet  dignity,  though  her  heart  sank  within  her  at 
the  thought  of  passing  the  night  out  of  doors. 

"  Oh!  no,  no.  Pardon  me,  my  lady,  if  I  seem  rude," 
replied  Jacintha,  assuming  an  humble  manner,  and  step 
ping  forward  as  if  to  intercept  Barbara's  departure. 
"  Do  not  go.  We  shall  be  glad  if  you  will  stay.  Stay 
here  as  long  as  you  will  —  at  least  —  that  is  —  till  — 
till  —  " 

"  Till  the  Master  returns,"  chimed  in  Lambro,  "  and 
then  —  well,  it 's  his  rule  to  have  no  strangers  here." 

He  had  apparently  plucked  up  his  courage,  for  he  had 
come  forward  to  the  entrance  again,  where  he  and  Ja 
cintha  stood  staring  curiously,  first  at  Barbara,  then  at 
each  other. 

"  You  seem  to  know  me,"  said  Barbara,  "  though  I  do 
not  think  that  you  can  ever  have  seen  me  before  to-night." 

Receiving  no  reply,  she  glanced  at  Paul  as  if  seeking  an 
explanation  from  him,  who  had  none  to  give,  for  he  was 
as  much  perplexed  as  Barbara  herself  to  account  for  the 
singular  behavior  of  this  couple. 

"  At  first  sight  of  you,"  began  Lambro,  "  we  thought 
—  But  no  matter  what  we  thought ;  we  see  now  we  were 
wrong."  —  He  cast  at  the  woman  a  glance  which  Paul 
interpreted  as  a  warning  for  her  to  be  reticent,  and  con- 

19 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

tinued :  "  Now,  Jacintha,  show  our  guests  the  way  up 
stairs.  The  nephew  of  the  man  who  fought  for  Greece 
shall  have  no  cause  to  complain  of  our  hospitality." 

"  A  queer  couple/'  whispered  Paul  to  Barbara,  "  but 
trustworthy,  I  believe.  I  think  you  will  be  safe  here." 

Barbara,  almost  ready  to  sink  to  the  ground  with 
fatigue,  had  no  other  course  than  to  accept  the  shelter 
of  Castel  Nuovo,  however  strange  her  entertainers ;  and 
accordingly  still  resting  upon  Paul's  arm,  she  followed 
Jacintha  up  the  staircase,  while  Lambro,  having  locked 
the  door,  brought  up  the  rear. 

"  Your  wife  ? "  Paul  asked  of  him  and  referring  to 
Jacintha. 

"  She  answers  the  purpose,"  replied  Lambro.  "  We  Ye 
done  without  a  priest  so  far.  She 's  mine  because  I 
bought  her.  Five  hundred  beshliks  she  cost  me  in  the 
slave-mart  of  Janina.  A  deal  of  money,  a  great  deal  of 
money,"  continued  the  old  fellow,  wincing  as  if  he  had  had 
a  tooth  drawn.  "  I  'm  doubtful  whether  I  've  had  the  value 
of  it.  I  could  have  bought  a  lovely  young  Circassian  at 
the  price.  But  since  she  was  warranted  to  be  a  splendid 
nurse  and  an  excellent  cook,  I  took  her  as  a  helpmeet  for 
my  old  age." 

Paul  trusted  that  Barbara  did  not  understand  Romaic, 
for  the  old  Palicar's  society  was  not  exactly  of  the  sort 
that  a  matronly  duenna  would  have  chosen  as  suitable  for 
a  young  maiden. 

The  interior  of  Castel  Xuovo  formed  a  pleasant  and 
striking  contrast  with  its  dilapidated  exterior.  The  apart 
ment  to  which  the  visitors  were  conducted  was  stamped 
with  an  air  of  wealth  and  dignity,  —  lofty,  composed  of 
dark  oak,  and  furnished  with  stained-glass  casements, 
blazoned  in  their  centre  with  the  Winged  Lion  of  St 
Mark.  The  roof  was  richly  fretted  ;  the  pictures  painted 
on  the  panelling  of  the  walls  were  in  a  fine  state  of  preser 
vation.  On  the  wide  tesselated  hearth  beneath  a  beauti- 

20 


The  Castle  by  the  Sea 

fully  carved  mantelpiece  were  pine  logs  disposed  as  for 
a  fire.  To  these  Jacintha  applied  a  match,  and  soon  a 
blaze  sprang  up,  so  bright  as  to  render  any  other  light 
superfluous. 

"  The  Master's  dining-hall,"  remarked  Lambro. 

"  Let  me  help  you,  my  lady,"  said  Jacintha,  observing 
Barbara  embarrassed  with  the  fastenings  of  her  capote. 

She  assisted  in  untying  the  hood,  and  having  removed 
the  cloak,  seated  Barbara  in  a  comfortable  arm-chair  by 
the  fire. 

Despite  the  Romaic  costume  worn  by  Jacintha,  and  the 
golden  coins  twisted  in  her  hair,  Paul  had  no  difficulty  in 
fixing  her  nationality. 

"  You  are  an  Englishwoman  ?  "  he  said,  with  a  smile. 

"  Yes,  sir,  I  am,"  was  her  reply,  accompanied  by  a 
submissive  little  curtsey. 

A  few  words  on  her  part  sufficed  to  give  her  history. 
Nurse  in  the  service  of  an  English  doctor  at  Constanti 
nople,  she  had,  when  returning  home,  been  captured  by 
Turkish  pirates,  and  carried  to  Janina  for  sale,  where 
she  \vas  purchased  by  Lambro,  and  brought  to  Castel 
Nuovo.  Paul's  ears  tingled  at  the  thought  of  an  English 
woman  being  sold  in  an  Albanian  slave-mart.  He  won 
dered  whether  she  knew  that  she  was  now  living  in  a  free 
country.  Her  real  name  was  Winifred  Power,  but  Lam 
bro  would  persist  in  calling  her  Jacintha. 

It  so  happened  that  Paul  was  well  acquainted  with  her 
native  town,  inasmuch  as  his  school-days  had  been  passed 
in  its  neighborhood.  His  allusions  to  places  with  which 
both  were  familiar  drew  tears  to  the  woman's  eyes. 

"  Ah !  do  not  talk  of  home,"  she  said.  "  Every  week  I 
can  see  from  the  windows  here  the  steamer  from  Trieste 
on  its  way  to  England ;  a  few  days'  sail  only,  and  yet  as 
impossible  for  me  to  reach  as  the  stars." 

"  You  're  better  off  here,"  growled  the  old  Greek.  "  I 
bought  you,  and  by  God  I  '11  keep  you.  You  are  not  to 

21 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

leave  me  till  I  —  I  —  die  —  "  He  winced  as  if  not  liking 
the  prospect  presented  by  the  last  word.  —  "  You  have 
promised  as  much.  I  have  treated  you  better  than  any 
Turk  would.  You  live  in  a  castle  with  fine  dresses  and 
plenty  to  eat  and  drink ;  and  when  I  'm  a  —  gone  you  '11 
have  my  savings,  and  can  then  go  back  to  England. 
What  more  do  you  want?" 

"  Shall  I  be  permitted  to  leave  here  after  your  death?  " 
asked  Jacintha,  darting  a  strange  look  upon  Lambro, 
who  frowned,  and  said,  — 

"  Who  is  to  prevent  you  ?  What  nonsense  you  talk ! 
Why  don't  you  ask  our  guests  what  they  '11  have  for 
supper?  " 

"  What  would  my  lady  like?"  inquired  Jacintha  turn 
ing  to  Barbara,  and  enumerating  the  contents  of  her 
larder. 

"  You  are  very  good,"  smiled  Barbara.  "  Anything 
will  do  for  me." 

"  Except,  of  course,  roast  Turk,"  said  Paul,  turning  to 
Lambro.  "  We  must  draw  the  line  at  that." 

The  Turcophage  grinned  and  withdrew  in  company 
with  Jacintha ;  and  as  they  called  no  servant  to  their  aid, 
Paul  concluded,  and  rightly,  that  these  two  were  the  sole 
tenants  of  the  castle. 

Paul  had  now  a  better  opportunity  than  heretofore  for 
observing  his  fair  companion  as  she  sat  by  the  hearth,  the 
bright  firelight  playing  over  her  silken  attire  with  its 
shimmer  of  chain-work  and  jewels.  Her  figure  was  beau 
tifully  shaped;  her  features  were  of  pure,  classic  type, 
as  clear  and  delicate  as  if  sculptured  from  alabaster. 
There  was  something  peculiarly  noble  in  the  pose  of  her 
head,  which  disposed  Paul  to  the  belief  that  when  the 
mystery  of  her  origin  became  solved,  it  would  be  found 
that  she  was  of  high  birth. 

She  had  spread  out  her  hands  to  the  fire,  and  with  her 
face  upturned  to  Paul,  she  said  with  charming  naivete,  — 

22 


The  Castle  by  the  Sea 

"  I  am  so  glad  that  you  insisted  upon  me  accompany 
ing  you,  for  this  is  certainly  more  cheerful  than  the 
dark  forest." 

The  light  of  gratitude  sparkling  in  her  soft  dusky  eyes 
completely  captivated  Paul.  He  began  to  think  that  it 
would  be  a  pleasant  thing  if  she  would  always  smile  so 
upon  him,  and  upon  none  other. 

"  Our  new  friends,"  he  remarked,  "  are  evidently  ex 
pecting  visitors,  and  those  —  two  in  number  —  to  judge 
from  the  cutlery."  He  pointed  to  the  dining-table  and 
its  snowy  cloth  set  with  Majolica- ware,  cut-glass,  and 
silver.  "  The  Master  and  his  wife  I  presume.  Un 
pleasant  for  us  if  they  should  arrive  to-night,  and  should 
object  to  the  proceedings  of  their  hospitable  seneschal." 

Lambro  and  his  partner  now  entered,  bringing  in  a 
repast. 

Barbara  and  Paul  drew  to  the  table.  The  humble 
Jacintha  acted  as  waitress  and  seemed  to  take  pleasure 
in  the  office. 

Though  Barbara  ate  but  sparingly,  her  companion 
amply  atoned  for  any  deficiencies  on  her  part ;  and  when 
Lambro,  going  down  to  the  castle  cellar,  returned  with 
a  bottle  of  delicious  maraschino,  and  a  box  contain 
ing  cigars  of  ambrosial  flavor,  Paul's  satisfaction  was 
complete. 

Lambro  having  called  for  his  chibouque,  perched  him 
self  upon  a  chair  and  sat  cross-legged  upon  it  in  oriental 
fashion,  while  Jacintha  at  his  command  took  a  live  coal 
from  the  fire  by  aid  of  the  tongs,  and  applied  it  to  the 
bowl  of  his  pipe.  Then  the  old  Palicar  puffed  away  in 
placid  contentment  while  Jacintha  went  off  to  prepare  a 
room  for  Barbara. 

"  Those  cigars,"  Lambro  presently  remarked,  address 
ing  Paul,  "  have  never  paid  Austrian  duty.  Whence  do  I 
procure  them  ?  From  the  sea,  —  my  constant  friend.  A 
toast,  a  toast,"  he  cried,  raising  his  glass  of  maraschino. 

23 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

"  Here  's  to  the  storm-fiend,  and  may  he  never  cease  to 
send  us  rich  flotsam  and  jetsam.  The  dress  I  wear,"  he 
added,  patting  his  gay  costume  with  pride,  "  comes  from 
the  body  of  a  drowned  compatriot.  If  the  signorina  re 
quires  a  new  dress  we  can  supply  her  with  one  as  rich  as 
that  she  now  has.  No,  I  am  not  a  wrecker,"  he  con 
tinued,  as  if  in  answer  to  Paul's  suspicions.  "  I  simply 
take  the  gifts  the  waves  send  me,  and  they  send  them 
pretty  frequently  on  this  wild  rocky  coast.  Sometimes  it 
is  a  Turkish  vessel  that  goes  to  pieces  on  the  reef  out 
yonder,"  he  went  on,  nodding  in  the  direction  of  the  sea. 
"  Jacintha  and  I  can  hear  their  cries,  but  we  are  unable 
to  help  them.  I  would  not  help  them  if  I  could,"  he  ex 
claimed  with  a  fierce  flash  of  energy,  and  taking  the  pipe 
from  his  mouth.  "  Are  not  the  Turks  the  enemies  of 
Greece?  When  I  hear  their  shrieks  rising  above  the 
sound  of  the  storm  —  A-a-h  !  "  He  finished  the  sentence 
with  a  smack  of  his  lips. 

It  would  be  impossible  to  imagine  any  being  more 
weird  than  this  little  Greek,  as  he  sat  there  cross-legged, 
tricked  out  in  the  finery  of  the  dead,  his  eye  glittering 
wildly,  and  his  moustaches  tied  at  the  back  of  his  head. 

Paul  deemed  it  advisable  on  Barbara's  account  to  give 
a  different  turn  to  the  conversation. 

"  This  must  have  been  a  grand  old  castle  when  entire," 
he  said.  "  The  property,  is  it  not,  of  the  Italian  Marquis 
Orsino?" 

"  Not  so,"  replied  Lambro,  with  a  shake  of  his  head. 
''  The  marquis  sold  it  seven  years  ago  to  my  present 
Master  —  " 

"  My  guide-book  is  evidently  not  up  to  date." 

"  Though,"  added  Lambro,  "  the  sale  was  kept  a 
secret." 

"Why  so?" 

"  All  the  Master's  ways  are  secret." 

"  May  one  ask  his  name  ?  " 

24 


The  Castle  by  the  Sea 

"  He  has  forbidden  me  to  reveal  it." 

Paul,  though  conscious  that  he  was  treading  on  delicate 
ground,  could  not  repress  his  further  curiosity. 

"  Where  does  he  live  when  not  here  ?  " 

"  He  has  never  told  me." 

"  What  is  his  nationality  ?  " 

"  That  is  equally  a  mystery  to  me." 

Paul's  interest  in  the  Master  increased,  and  as  Lambro 
did  not  seem  to  resent  his  questioning,  he  continued,  — 

"  How  often  does  he  visit  this  place?  " 

"  It  may  be  once  only  in  the  year,  it  may  be  twice  or 
thrice." 

"  I  gather  from  your  first  words  when  I  knocked  at  the 
door,  and  also  from  the  previous  state  of  this  table,  that 
you  are  expecting  him  at  the  present  time  ?  " 

"  Expecting  him !  "  echoed  Lambro.  "  I  am  always 
expecting  him.  He  never  gives  warning  of  his  coming, 
either  by  letter  or  messenger.  A  loud  knock  of  the  door, 
and  there  he  is !  He  may  arrive  to-night,  he  may  not 
arrive  for  six  months.  But  present  or  absent  the  larder 
must  always  be  full,  and  the  dining-room  and  the  bed 
room  ready  for  his  immediate  reception.  A  hard  man  is 
the  Master." 

"  And  how  long  do  his  visits  last?  " 

"  That  depends  upon  the  mood  of  his  companion." 

"  His  companion  ?    Do  you  mean  his  wife  ?  " 

"  His  wife  ?  "  repeated  Lambro,  with  a  peculiar  laugh. 
"  The  Master  is  a  bachelor  and  will  always  remain  such. 
He  is  a  member  of  a  peculiar  brotherhood  pledged  to  the 
repudiation  of  women." 

"  What  is  the  object  of  his  visits?  " 

But  Lambro  was  not  disposed  to  be  more  communica 
tive. 

"  Captain  Cressingham,"  he  said  with  a  deprecatory 
shake  of  his  head,  "  you  must  not  ask  me  to  betray  my 
Master's  secrets." 

25 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

Paul  accepted  the  rebuke  with  a  good  grace. 

"  You  speak  truth.  I  have  no  right  to  pry  into  his 
affairs.  I  apologize." 

Secrecy  is  always  suspicious.  Lambro's  reticence 
served  but  to  whet  Paul's  curiosity.  A  weird  interest 
began  to  gather  around  the  unknown  owner  of  Castel 
Nuovo,  who  was  so  studious  of  concealing  his  identity, 
who  without  previous  warning  came  and  vanished  at 
irregular  intervals  on  errands  that  necessitated  a  reserve 
in  speaking  of  them. 

At  this  point  Jacintha  reappeared  carrying  a  lighted 
lamp. 

"  Would  my  lady  like  to  retire  now  ?  " 

Yes,  my  lady  would,  and  arose  for  that  purpose.  Paul 
held  the  door  as  she  passed  forth. 

"  Good  night,  signorina." 

She  returned  the  valediction,  accompanying  it  with  a 
graceful  inclination  of  her  head,  and  a  grateful  smile  that 
said  as  plainly  as  words  could  say,  "  But  for  you  I  should 
now  be  without  bed." 

The  room  to  which  Jacintha  conducted  Barbara  was 
intended  as  a  lady's  bedchamber,  as  the  toilet  accessories 
sufficiently  proved.  A  princess  could  not  have  found  fault 
with  its  dainty  tasteful  appointments.  And,  surprising  to 
relate,  not  a  particle  of  dust  was  visible  anywhere;  the 
place  was  clean,  swept,  and  garnished  as  if  prepared  that 
very  day  for  the  reception  of  a  visitor. 

"You  are  not  giving  up  your  own  room  to  me,  I  hope  ?" 
said  Barbara. 

"  Oh,  no,  my  lady.     I  do  not  sleep  here." 

Barbara  stared  hard  at  the  speaker.  Seeing  that  the 
"  Master,"  according  to  Lambro's  statement,  was  a  foe 
to  womankind,  it  was  singular,  to  say  the  least  of  it, 
that  Castel  Nuovo  should  contain  a  chamber  of  this 
description. 

Tired  as  Barbara  was,  her  curiosity  would  not  let  her 

26 


The  Castle  by  the  Sea 

rest,  and  she  wandered  about  the  room  asking  a  variety 
of  questions.  Had  this  been  a  bridal-chamber,  or  a 
death-chamber,  or  both  ?  Had  the  mysterious  "  Mas 
ter,"  mourning  the  loss  of  a  wife  or  a  daughter,  given 
command  that  this  apartment  should  be  attended  to  every 
day,  preserved  in  the  same  order  as  that  in  which  it  was 
when  last  occupied  ?  Barbara  could  extract  nothing  from 
the  reticent  Jacintha,  who  seemed  troubled  by  her  vis 
itor's  catechism. 

In  her  course  round  the  apartment  Barbara's  quick 
eyes  detected  a  circular  piece  of  violet-colored  sealing- 
wax  adhering  to  one  of  the  walls.  She  inquired  how  it 
came  there,  but  Jacintha  professed  ignorance.  Attracted 
by  an  indefinable  feeling,  Barbara  asked  that  the  lamp 
might  be  brought  near.  The  wax  was  situated  at  a  point 
just  where  a  horizontal  band  of  carving  that  formed  the 
upper  border  of  a  panel  touched  upon  the  smooth  plain 
oak  above.  A  closer  inspection  showed  that  the  wax  bore 
the  image  of  a  paschal  lamb, — an  image,  tiny  indeed,  yet 
perfectly  clear.  The  wax  had  been  stamped  with  a  seal. 
Why?  Children  might  perhaps  find  pleasure  in  fixing  a 
piece  of  wax  upon  a  wall  and  in  stamping  it  with  a  seal, 
but  as  there  were  no  children  at  Castel  Nuovo  this  ex 
planation  would  not  suffice.  If  it  were  the  work  of  adults 
what  was  its  purport?  Jacintha  averred  that  it  was  not 
her  doing ;  she  could  not  say  whose  it  was  or  assign  any 
reason  for  its  origin. 

"  Can  you  not  put  me  in  another  room  ?  " 

'  The  other  rooms  are  somewhat  damp.  Why,  my 
lady,  what  do  you  fear  ? "  she  asked  in  reproachful 
surprise. 

A  hard  question.  It  was  impossible  to  link  this  piece 
of  wax  with  any  harm  to  herself,  so  Barbara  turned 
away.  The  dainty  little  bed  invited  her  to  repose.  Why 
trouble  further? 

WThen  at  last  Barbara  with  a  delicious  sense  of  relief 

27 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

had  slipped  her  tired  and  aching  limbs  beneath  the  sheets, 
Jacintha  brought  to  the  bedside  a  glass  containing  a  dark- 
colored  liquid. 

"  Only  quinine,  my  lady." 

In  a  moment  Barbara  was  sitting  up  in  manifest  fear, 
her  eyes  large  and  ghost-like. 

"  You  don't  think  I  have  caught  malaria  ?  " 

"  It  is  best  to  take  precautions,"  replied  Jacintha, 
evasively. 

"Fever?  I  have  been  dreading  that,"  exclaimed  Bar 
bara,  clasping  her  hands.  "  And  I  must  be  at  Zara  to 
morrow.  If  I  linger  here  I  shall  be  caught  by  —  Give 
me  the  quinine ;  give  me  double,  treble  the  ordinary 
draught,  if  it  will  act  as  an  antidote." 

Barbara,  after  taking  the  potion,  fell  asleep  almost  im 
mediately,  and  Jacintha  returned  to  the  dining-hall,  where 
in  answer  to  her  eager  questioning  Paul  gave  an  account 
of  the  meeting  in  the  forest  and  related  all  he  knew  con 
cerning  Barbara,  which,  in  truth,  was  not  very  much. 

"  And  now  tell  me,  Jacintha,"  he  said,  when  he  had 
finished,  "  why  did  you  start  so  on  first  seeing  the 
signorina?  " 

Jacintha  seemed  absolutely  terror-stricken  at  this  ques 
tion.  The  old  Palicar  who  had  been  drinking  somewhat 
freely  of  the  maraschino  turned  upon  his  consort  with  a 
fierce  frown,  drew  his  yataghan  and  shook  it  furiously  at 
her. 

"If  ever  you  let  that  matter  out  —  you  know  what  I 
mean  —  by  God,  I  '11  cut  your  throat.  Be  off,  woman  ! 
Go  to  bed ;  and  remember  what  I  say." 

And  Jacintha,  who  evidently  stood  thoroughly  in  awe 
of  the  fiery  little  Greek,  withdrew  without  a  word. 

"  Captain  Cressingham,"  continued  Lambro  in  a 
quieter  tone,  "  you  may  believe  me  or  not,  as  you  will, 
but  it  is  a  fact  that  Jacintha  and  myself  have  never  seen 
the  signorina  till  to-night." 

28 


The  Castle  by  the  Sea 

"  Nor  her  portrait  ?  " 

"  Nor  her  portrait." 

Something  in  his  manner  convinced  Paul  that  the  old 
Palicar  was  speaking  the  truth,  which  only  made  the  mat 
ter  more  perplexing.  Despite  the  repudiation  there  was 
evidently  some  mystery  connected  with  Barbara,  a 
mystery  known  to  Lambro  and  his  consort.  Paul  intui 
tively  felt  that  the  Palicar's  reticence  could  never  be  over 
come,  but  he  was  not  without  hope  of  extracting  the 
secret  from  Jacintha  if  he  should  have  an  opportunity  of 
speaking  with  her  alone. 

"  Paul  Cressingham,"  he  murmured,  when  he  found 
himself  left  in  the  dining-hall  for  the  night,  "  you  came 
to  Dalmatia  in  quest  of  the  strange,  the  romantic,  the 
wild.  I  am  beginning  to  think  you  have  found  them." 

He  drew  his  chair  to  the  fire,  composed  himself  for 
sleep,  and  dreamed  of  Barbara  till  morning  gleamed 
through  the  casement. 


CHAPTER   III 

FEVER   AND    CONVALESCENCE 

OF  the  four  occupants  of  Castel  Nuovo  the  first  to 
awaken  in  the  morning  was  Jacintha,  who,  after 
dressing,  proceeded  immediately  to  Barbara's 
room.  Having  tapped  at  the  door,  first  softly,  then 
loudly,  and  receiving  no  answer,  she  ventured  to  enter. 

Barbara  was  awake,  and  talking  to  herself  in  a  very 
odd  manner. 

She  took  no  notice  of  the  approach  of  Jacintha,  and 
the  latter  perceived  at  once  that  her  forebodings  were 
realized. 

Barbara,  her  dark  hair  lying  in  disorder  on  her  pillow, 
a  bright  color  burning  in  her  cheek,  the  light  of  reason 
quenched  in  her  eye,  was  in  a  high  state  of  fever.  She  was 
not  speaking  in  Italian,  the  language  used  by  her  the 
previous  evening,  but  in  another  tongue  altogether  strange 
to  Jacintha. 

The  latter  returned  quickly  to  her  own  room  to  make  it 
known  to  Lambro,  who  had  just  struggled  into  his  finery. 

"  What  else  could  be  expected  after  sleeping  at  night  in 
a  damp  forest  ?  "  was  his  comment.  "  Fever !  and  she  in 
that  very  chamber,  too!  By  God,  if  the  Master  should 
return  and  find  her  there !  " 

"  Come  and  listen  to  her.  She  is  talking  in  a  strange 
language :  she  looks  at  me  with  piteous  eyes  as  if  making 
some  request.  Perhaps  you  can  understand  her." 

The  old  Palicar  followed  her  to  Barbara's  chamber. 
His  roving  life  in  the  Balkan  Peninsula  had  given  him  a 
knowledge,  more  or  less  imperfect,  of  all  the  languages 

30 


Fever  and  Convalescence 

spoken  from  the  Danube  to  Maina,  but  he  failed  to  iden 
tify  the  speech  of  Barbara  with  any  one  of  these. 

"  It 's  not  Romaic,  nor  Turkish,  nor  Albanian,  nor  —  ' 

"  Listen !  "  said  Jacintha,  in  a  startled  voice. 

Amid  the  plaintive  flow  of  unintelligible  sound  there 
came  at  irregular  intervals  a  recurrence  of  the  same  three 
syllables. 

"Rav-en-na!"  murmured  Jacintha  with  white  lips. 

"  She  's  thinking  of  Ravenna  on  the  other  side  of  the 
sea,"  said  Lambro,  indicating  the  direction  with  his  hand. 
"  Wishes  to  go  there  perhaps." 

"No,  no.  Have  you  forgotten?  Ravenna!  That's 
what  the  last  one  said  when  she  raved.  '  O  Ravenna,  what 
have  you  done?'  were  her  words." 

Lambro  stared  dubiously  at  Jacintha.  Then  the  eyes  of 
both  turned  simultaneously  to  the  violet  sealing-wax  on 
the  wall,  as  if  that  had  some  connection  with  the  name. 

"  I  don't  like  this,"  muttered  the  old  Palicar,  turning 
away  uneasily.  "'  There  's  something  eerie  about  it.  How 
has  the  signorina  got  hold  of  that  name  ?  " 

Leaving  Jacintha  there  he  proceeded  with  subdued 
mien  to  the  dining-hall,  and  aroused  Paul  from  slumber 
with  the  question,  — 

"  Have  you  ever  had  the  malaria?" 

"  Can  any  one  live  in  your  cursed  Greek  climate,  and 
not  take  it  ?  "  said  Paul,  somewhat  resenting  the  rough 
shaking  he  had  received. 

"  Then  you  run  no  risk  of  taking  it  again  by  staying 
here." 

Paul  was  wide  awake  now,  and  sprang  instantly  to  his 
feet. 

"  You  mean  that  the  signorina  has  caught  the  fever  ?  " 

"  That  is  so.  She  '11  not  see  Zara  for  some  weeks  — 
if  indeed  at  all.  You  have  done  a  nice  thing  for  me,  Cap 
tain  Cressingham,  for  she  cannot  be  removed  now.  And 
what  will  the  Master  say  if  he  should  return  and  find  a 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

fever-stricken  person  in  his  house  ?  His  was  wise  advice, 
after  all.  'Admit  no  strangers  in  my  absence,  Lambro.' 
I  have  broken  his  orders,  and  this  is  the  result." 

It  may  have  been  selfish  on  the  part  of  Paul,  but  his 
thoughts  were  too  much  set  on  Barbara  to  permit  of  com 
miseration  for  Lambro's  position.  Never  had  he  been 
attracted  by  any  maiden  as  he  had  been  by  Barbara,  and 
now  to  learn  that  she  was  in  a  dangerous  fever  filled  him 
with  a  feeling  akin  to  horror. 

"  Where  does  the  nearest  doctor  live  ?  I  must  fetch 
him  at  once." 

"  She  's  a  dead  woman  if  you  do.  Leave  her  to  Ja- 
cintha,  and  she  may  recover ;  trust  her  to  a  Dalmatian 
doctor,  and  she  '11  certainly  die." 

With  which  assurance  Lambro  retired  grumbling  ter 
ribly,  for  inasmuch  as  all  Jacintha's  attention  would  be 
required  by  the  patient,  he  foresaw  that  for  the  next 
month  he  would  have  to  prepare  his  own  meals,  and  like 
wise  those  of  Paul,  should  the  latter  choose  to  remain  at 
Castel  Nuovo ;  and  if  there  was  aught  that  the  old  Palicar 
disliked  it  was  work,  even  of  the  lightest  sort. 

In  descending  the  stairs  Paul  was  met  by  Jacintha. 

"  There  is  no  use  in  disguising  the  truth,"  she  said  in 
answer  to  his  eager  questioning.  "  The  signorina  is  in  a 
very  dangerous  state.  But  leave  her  to  me,  and  she  shall 
recover.  I  was  a  nurse  at  Constantinople,  remember; 
and  in  the  matter  of  fever  I  know  what  to  do  as  well  as 
a  doctor,  perhaps  better  than  any  you  will  find  in  this 
uncivilized  region." 

Impressed  somehow  by  Jacintha's  faith  in  her  own 
powers  Paul  felt  that  Barbara  could  not  be  in  better 
hands. 

"  And  you  will  remain  at  Castel  Nuovo  till  she  re 
covers  ?  " 

Paul  gladly  assented  to  this  proposal. 

"  I  know  that  she  is  a  stranger  to  you,"  continued  Ja- 

32 


Fever  and  Convalescence 

cintha,  "  but  still  she  came  here  under  your  guidance  and 
protection,  and  therefore  in  some  measure  you  are  re 
sponsible  for  her  safety.  Yes,  I  say,  safety.  Captain 
Cressingham,"  she  added,  with  a  strange  earnestness, 
"  your  presence  here  is  necessary.  The  signorina  is  in 
peril.  If  the  Master  should  return  and  find  —  " 

She  broke  off  abruptly,  perceiving  Lambro  at  the  foot 
of  the  staircase. 

"  Now,  Jacintha,  attend  to  your  patient.  I  '11  see  to  the 
captain's  breakfast." 

And  awed  by  the  cold  glittering  eye  of  her  partner, 
Jacintha  became  mute  and  glided  away. 

That  day,  and  the  few  days  that  followed,  formed  the 
most  unhappy  time  that  Paul  had  ever  known,  for  the 
fair  maiden  whom  he  loved  lay  in  the  mystic  borderland 
betwixt  life  and  death. 

He  haunted  the  corridor  leading  to  her  bedroom,  either 
sitting  silent  in  the  recess  of  an  embrasured  window,  or 
walking  to  and  fro  with  noiseless  tread,  eagerly  question 
ing  Jacintha  whenever  she  appeared.  She  began  to  pity 
this  young  Englishman  with  his  haggard  looks,  so  much 
so  that  she  always  returned  favorable  answers,  even  when 
the  waters  of  the  dark  river  had  almost  closed  over  the 
head  of  her  patient. 

Mindful  of  Barbara's  escape  from  a  convent,  Paul 
would  not  wander  more  than  a  few  yards  from  the  castle, 
fearful  lest  the  ecclesiastical  authorities  or  the  Austrian 
gendarmes  should  make  their  appearance  during  his  ab 
sence,  to  say  nothing  of  the  return  of  the  mysterious 
Master,  whose  presence  was  equally  to  be  guarded  against, 
if  Jacintha  had  spoken  truly. 

Paul's  refusal  to  accompany  Lambro  for  a  sail  on  the 
sea  or  on  a  tramp  through  the  woods  with  his  dogs  pro 
voked  that  worthy's  contempt.  A  fine  soldierly  fellow 
like  Paul  to  be  fretting  over  a  thing  of  a  girl,  when  a 
Circassian  equally  lovely  could  be  bought  in  the  neighbor- 
7  33 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

ing  province  of  Albania  for  five  hundred  beshliks,  with 
the  additional  advantage  of  selling  the  damsel  again  when 
she  had  ceased  to  please.  It  was  absurd ! 

At  last  one  day  Jacintha  was  able  to  announce  that 
Barbara  had  passed  the  crisis.  The  relief  to  Paul's  over 
wrought  mind  was  so  great  that  he  almost  felt  as  if  he 
himself,  and  not  Barbara,  had  been  the  sufferer. 

"  And  you  will  be  glad  to  learn,  Captain  Cressingham," 
said  the  nurse,  with  a  smile  that  had  a  hidden  meaning  in 
it,  "  that  the  illness  has  left  no  disfiguring  traces  on  her 
beauty." 

She  was  still  too  weak  for  conversation,  and  Jacintha 
averred  that  some  days  must  elapse  before  she  could  let 
him  see  the  patient. 

In  the  meantime,  however,  Paul  did  not  fail  to  remind 
her  daily  of  his  existence. 

Near  by  lived  a  charcoal-burner  accustomed  to  call  at 
the  castle  for  the  purpose  of  bringing  Jacintha  her  stock 
of  provisions  from  the  market-town. 

Making  use  of  this  man  Paul  every  day  procured  the 
loveliest  of  flowers,  in  addition  to  fruits  and  other  delica 
cies,  and  these,  accompanied  by  wishes  for  her  welfare,  he 
would  send  up  to  the  patient  through  the  medium  of  the 
faithful  Jacintha,  who  in  turn  brought  back  Barbara's 
expressions  of  gratitude. 

The  period  of  Barbara's  convalescence  was  a  somewhat 
dull  time  for  Paul,  self-debarred  as  he  was  from  quitting 
the  vicinity  of  the  castle. 

He  tried  to  take  an  interest  in  Lambro's  companionship, 
despite  his  indefinable  suspicion  of  the  old  Palicar,  but  he 
soon  grew  tired  of  hearing  the  same  stories,  for  there  was 
but  one  theme  upon  which  the  Greek  would  converse, 
namely,  the  Hellenic  War  of  Independence,  —  a  war  in 
which,  though  history  be  strangely  silent  on  the  matter, 
Lambro  had  taken  the  leading  part,  at  least,  according  to 
his  own  account. 

34 


Fever  and  Convalescence 

Occasionally  the  vain  old  man,  forgetful  that  his 
strength  and  skill  were  departing,  would  invite  Paul  to  a 
fencing-bout;  if  defeated,  he  grew  angry;  but  when 
Paul,  in  the  exercise  of  a  little  finesse,  permitted  himself 
to  be  worsted,  then  Lambro,  suspecting  the  trick  played 
upon  him,  grew  more  angry  still ;  so  that  there  was  no 
pleasing  him.  In  short,  he  was  a  somewhat  trying  in 
dividual  to  live  with,  and  Paul  was  never  sorry  when  he 
saw  him  setting  off  for  a  long  tramp  by  the  shore  or 
through  the  woods,  attended  by  his  twelve  mastiffs,  brutes 
big  and  ferocious,  but  esteemed  by  Paul  because  they  were 
such,  since  they  would  prove  excellent  auxiliaries  against 
any  foe  who  should  approach  the  castle  with  intent  to 
carry  off  Barbara,  and  that  such  abduction  might  be  at 
tempted  was  a  fear  ever  present  to  his  mind. 

Indeed,  it  was  quite  within  the  range  of  probability  that 
any  day  a  serious  fray  might  occur,  for  heedless  as  to  what 
the  Austrian  law  might  be  in  the  matter  of  maidens  who 
escaped  from  convents,  Paul  was  determined  that  Barbara 
should  not  be  surrendered  to  the  authorities  without  oppo 
sition  on  his  part ;  while  Lambro,  though  disposed  to  look 
upon  the  fair  fugitive  somewhat  in  the  light  of  an  en 
cumbrance,  was  nevertheless  fierce  in  declaring,  with  a 
fine  scorn  of  consequences,  that  he  would  shoot  the  first 
gendarme  who  should  attempt  to  cross  his  threshold  ;  and 
Paul  had  little  doubt  that  the  fiery  old  Klepht  would  keep 
his  word. 

Still,  this  was  not  quite  the  sort  of  recreation  that  Paul 
wanted. 

"  Have  you  no  books  here  ?  "  he  asked  of  Lambro  one 
day. 

"  Would  you  turn  caloyer  or  papa  ?  No  ?  Then,  what 
can  you  want  with  books  ?  " 

"  Your  classic  ancestors  would  not  have  asked  that 
question.  To  read,  of  course." 

"  Bah !  the  best  use  you  can  put  books  to  is  to  twist 

35 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

them  into  cartridges.  That 's  what  we  did  with  them  in 
the  war."  In  Lambro's  opinion  there  had  only  been  one 
war  worthy  of  the  name.  "  Did  you  ever  hear  of  the  siege 
of-  -?" 

"  But  as  to  the  books  now  ?  "  gently  murmured  Paul, 
who  did  not  wish  to  hear  anything  about  the  siege  of 

"  Books  ?  Yes,  there  are  some  here  in  the  topmost 
room  of  the  castle ;  but  you  cannot  get  at  them,  for  that 
room  is  the  Master's  study ;  and  on  his  departure  he 
always  locks  the  door,  and  takes  the  key  with  him." 

Paul,  with  his  head  full  of  suspicion  against  the  Master, 
could  discern  nothing  but  a  sinister  caution  in  his  practice 
of  keeping  the  study-door  locked  during  his  absence.  Ac 
cordingly  on  the  following  day  when  Lambro  was  out  of 
the  way,  and  Jacintha  occupied  with  her  patient,  Paul 
ascended  the  staircase  leading  to  the  upper  portion  of  the 
tower.  On  the  topmost  landing  of  all  he  came  upon  a 
stout  door  of  oak  securely  locked.  This  without  doubt 
was  the  entrance  of  the  study  spoken  of  by  Lambro.  A 
pendant  on  the  other  side  of  the  key-hole  prevented  Paul 
from  obtaining  the  slightest  glimpse  of  the  interior. 

Not  only  had  the  Master  left  this  door  locked,  but  he 
had  likewise  taken  precautions  to  prevent  any  one  during 
his  absence  from  entering  without  his  knowledge,  for  the 
hinges  of  the  door  were  sealed  with  violet-colored  wax 
bearing  the  impress  of  a  paschal  lamb. 

The  care  thus  taken  to  screen  the  room  from  espionage 
increased  Paul's  suspicions.  Then  he  turned  away,  be 
coming  suddenly  conscious  that  to  pry  thus  upon  the 
affairs  of  a  stranger  was  conduct  unworthy  of  a  soldier 
and  a  gentleman ;  and  yet  a  secret  voice  seemed  to  whis 
per  that  he  was  justified  in  his  proceeding,  when  he  re 
called  Jacintha's  strange  remark  that  the  return  of  the 
Master  threatened  Barbara's  safety. 

"  Jacintha,"  said  he,  when  next  he  saw  that  person, 
"  what  secret  is  contained  in  that  locked  room  at  the  top 

36 


Fever  and  Convalescence 

of  the  tower,  for,"  he  added,  proceeding  beyond  his 
knowledge,  "  I  am  convinced  that  there  is  some  mystery 
connected  with  it." 

That  he  was  correct  in  his  surmise  was  sufficiently 
evinced  by  the  look  of  fear  that  came  over  Jacintha's  face. 

"  You  must  ask  Lambro." 

"  He  will  not  tell  me." 

"  And  I  dare  not." 

"Why?" 

"  Lambro  would  kill  me  if  I  should  reveal  the  secret. 
You  yourself  heard  his  threat.  I  have  taken  a  solemn 
oath  upon  the  Holy  Sacrament  itself  to  preserve  silence. 
Do  not  speak  of  this  matter  again,  I  pray  you,"  she  con 
tinued,  with  pain  in  her  voice,  "  for,  indeed,  Captain 
Cressingham,  it  is  no  concern  of  yours." 

And  then,  as  if  desirous  of  reverting  to  a  more  pleasing 
topic,  she  added,  — 

"  I  have  good  news  for  you.  The  signorina  is  now 
strong  enough  to  rise  and  be  dressed.  To-morrow  you 
shall  see  her." 

This  intelligence  was  more  acceptable  to  Paul  than  the 
baton  of  a  general.  He  had  very  little  sleep  that  night 
for  thinking  of  Barbara. 

Next  day  at  noon,  Barbara  having  been  dressed  by 
Jacintha,  was  assisted  by  the  same  faithful  attendant  to  an 
adjoining  sitting-room,  and  comfortably  installed  in  a  big 
arm-chair  placed  beside  an  open  casement  which  com 
manded  a  view  of  the  sea. 

How  quick  was  the  turn  of  her  head  towards  the  door 
when  Paul's  step  sounded  there !  How  bright  her  smile 
as  she  offered  him  her  slender  hand.  How  sweet  the 
color  that  played  over  her  cheek  while  she  thanked  him 
for  the  presents  that  he  had  sent  up  to  her !  A  white  rose 
graced  her  dusky  hair,  the  flower  being,  as  Paul  noticed 
with  secret  pleasure,  his  gift  of  the  previous  day. 

Jacintha  had  withdrawn  on  Paul's  entrance.  Wise 

37 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

creature,  Jacintha !  It  is  not  every  woman  who  will  recog 
nize  herself  as  de  trap  when  youth  and  maiden  meet. 

"  I  am  glad  to  see  you  recovering,  signorina." 

"  I  am  still  very  weak.  I  tremble  to  think  what  would 
have  become  of  me  had  I  lain  down  in  that  wood.  The 
fever  would  certainly  have  carried  me  off.  I  owe  my  life 
to  you." 

"No  — to  Jacintha." 

"  And  to  Jacintha,  who  will  not  take  any  reward  from 
me." 

After  this  there  was  a  silence.  Paul  found  his  usual 
flow  of  language  gone.  He  longed  to  be  brilliant ;  he 
was  conscious  of  seeming  stupid. 

"  It  is  six  weeks  since  our  meeting  in  the  woods,"  he 
observed,  for  want  of  a  better  remark. 

"  And  you  were  going  to  Sebenico,  then.  Have  you 
remained  at  Castel  Nuovo  all  this  time  on  my  account  ?  " 

"  I  desire  to  keep  my  promise  of  seeing  you  safely  to 
Zara." 

Barbara  murmured  her  gratitude,  adding,  — 

"  But  am  I  not  putting  you  to  great  inconvenience  ?  " 

"  No,  signorina,  no.  These  are  my  holidays.  I  am  on 
a  long  furlough.  My  time  is  my  own,  or  rather  it  is  at 
your  disposal." 

Barbara's  eyes  drooped  beneath  Paul's  gaze.  Why 
should  this  handsome  young  captain  interest  himself  so 
on  her  behalf? 

"  Jacintha  tells  me  that  you  have  never  quitted  the 
vicinity  of  the  castle." 

;'  True.  It  has  been  my  desire  to  guard  against  a  sur 
prise  on  the  part  of  your  pursuers." 

Barbara's  face  lost  its  bright  expression  for  a  moment. 

"  My  pursuers  !  "  she  murmured.  "  My  pursuers !  The 
thought  of  them  haunted  me  while  I  lay  ill.  I  dreaded 
lest  I  should  be  carried  off  in  my  helpless  state.  But  as 
six  weeks  have  elapsed  I  think  I  may  regard  the  pursuit 

38 


Fever  and  Convalescence 

—  if  pursuit  there  were  —  as  over.  But  tell  me,  Captain 
Cressingham,"  —  how  prettily  the  name  fell  from  her 
lips!  —  "  what  would  you  have  done  if  my  pursuers  had 
appeared  ?  " 

"  Fought,"  replied  Paul  laconically. 

"  But  supposing  they  had  been  a  dozen  in  number  ?  " 

"  No  matter.  Lambro  loves  a  fight,  so  do  I.  Castel 
Nuovo  was  built  to  stand  a  siege.  The  door  is  of  massive 
oak ;  the  lower  windows  are  barred ;  there  are  abundant 
loopholes  convenient  for  taking  shots  at  the  enemy.  And 
besides  there  are  the  twelve  mastiffs,  each  of  which  is 
capable  of  tackling  a  man.  Trust  us,  signorina,  we  should 
have  made  a  good  defence." 

It  was  pleasant  to  be  near  such  towers  of  strength  as 
Paul  and  Lambro,  who  appeared  to  regard  Austrian 
gendarmerie  with  contempt.  Then  her  pleasure  became 
lost  in  surprise.  Was  this  Englishman  really  willing  to 
undergo  such  perils  on  her  behalf  ?  Ay,  those,  and  much 
more,  Barbara,  to  gain  your  smiles. 

"  I  am  fortunate  in  my  friends,"  she  said,  "  but  rather 
than  expose  them  to  such  hazard  I  think  I  should  prefer 
to  give  myself  up." 

She  was  a  sweet  and  interesting  patient,  and  the  charm 
of  her  face  and  figure  was  enhanced  by  the  toilette  in 
which  Jacintha  had  arrayed  her,  —  a  dress  all  soft  and 
white  and  foamy  with  silk  muslin.  A  silver  rope  girdle 
was  tied  at  one  side  and  fell  in  two  long,  graceful  tassels. 
Delicate  antique  lace  fringed  the  slender  wrists.  Paul's 
quick  eye  observed  that  a  small  portion  of  the  lace  was 
torn  off  from  the  right  sleeve.  He  wondered  why  the 
defect  had  not  been  repaired.  A  trifling  circumstance, 
but  one  destined  to  recur  with  peculiar  force  at  a  later 
date. 

This  was  not  the  costume  she  had  worn  on  the  night  of 
her  first  meeting  with  him.  Whence,  then,  did  it  come? 
Barbara  seemed  to  divine  his  thoughts. 

39 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

"I  see  you  are  observing  my  dress,"  she  remarked.  "It 
is  a  gift  from  Jacintha,  drawn  from  an  old  chest  in  her 
wardrobe.  It  might  have  been  expressly  made  for  me,  for 
it  fits  to  a  nicety  without  requiring  the  least  alteration. 
Made  for  another,  and  yet  suiting  me  to  perfection.  Is 
not  that  a  singular  coincidence  ?  " 

The  fit  of  the  dress  did  not  strike  Paul  so  much  as  the 
costliness  of  the  material.  He  could  not  account  for 
Jacintha's  possession  of  such  attire  except  on  the  suppo 
sition  that  it  formed  part  of  the  flotsam  and  jetsam  which 
supplied  Lambro  with  his  finery. 

Again  Barbara  seemed  to  read  his  thoughts. 

"  No,  it  is  not  a  gift  of  the  sea ;  Jacintha  assured  me  of 
that ;  otherwise  I  would  not  wear  it.  I  have  no  liking  for 
the  clothing  of  the  drowned."  And  then  displaying  a 
pair  of  pretty  satin  shoes,  she  added :  "  And  these,  too, 
are  Jacintha's  gift,  and  they  fit  as  if  my  feet  had  been 
measured  for  them." 

She  turned  to  the  open  casement  and  surveyed  the  scene 
without. 

"  Ah !  if  I  could  but  get  into  the  air  outside  I  should 
recover  the  sooner." 

:'  Then  come  down  to-morrow,  and  sit  outside  on  the 
terrace." 

"  I  am  too  weak  to  walk." 

"  No  matter.     I  will  carry  you,"  replied  Paul,  boldly. 

"  I  shall  have  to  get  Jacintha's  leave  first,"  said  Barbara, 
half-pleased,  half-reluctant.  "  Jacintha  is  an  ideal  nurse. 
She  will  have  her  commands  obeyed,  and  will  not  yield 
to  the  whims  of  her  patient." 

When  Jacintha  appeared,  her  consent  was  readily  ob 
tained,  and  as  she  averred  that  Barbara  had  talked  enough 
for  one  day,  Paul  was  compelled  to  take  his  leave. 

He  spent  the  rest  of  the  day  in  recalling  Barbara's 
words.  The  interview,  though  delightful,  contained  one 
element  of  disappointment :  Barbara  had  said  nothing  as 

40 


Fever  and  Convalescence 

to  her  previous  history.  Paul  had  hesitated  to  question 
her  on  the  matter,  leaving  her  to  take  the  initiative.  Time 
would  doubtless  bring  increasing  confidence  on  her  part. 

On  the  following  day  he  redeemed  his  promise  of  carry 
ing  her  into  the  open  air.  An  exquisite  sense  of  pleasure 
filled  him  as  he  felt  the  clasp  of  Barbara's  arm  around  his 
neck  and  noted  the  sweet  color  that  mantled  her  cheek. 
From  her  chamber  he  bore  her  down  the  staircase  and  out 
to  a  dismantled  marble  terrace,  where  he  seated  her  in  a 
lounge,  which  had  been  placed  there  by  Jacintha.  Above 
her  rose  a  stately  terebinth,  whose  light-green  foliage, 
crimsoned  with  clusters  of  delicate  flowers,  cast  a  circle 
of  shade  around. 

It  was  the  height  of  summer,  and  the  day,  though  hot, 
was  not  oppressive ;  the  atmosphere  being  tempered  by 
the  air  flowing  from  the  Dalmatian  highlands  that  rose 
behind  them,  peak  above  peak,  in  dark  wooded  glory. 

Facing  them  was  the  smooth  Adriatic  almost  as  blue  as 
the  heaven  it  reflected.  Far  off  in  the  summer  haze 
picturesque  feluccas,  with  their  white  lateen  sails,  glided 
to  and  fro  with  slow  dream-like  motion. 

Sea,  sky,  and  mountains  combined  to  form  a  scene  of 
enchanting  beauty,  rendered  still  more  enchanting  to  Paul 
by  the  presence  of  Barbara,  to  whom  Jacintha  had  im 
parted  an  additional  charm  by  adorning  her  with  the 
graceful  pczzotto,  or  muslin  scarf,  which,  pinned  on  the 
head  and  falling  over  the  arms  and  shoulders,  permitted 
the  beautiful  face  and  hair  of  the  wearer  to  be  seen 
through  it. 

"  Have  you  ever  noticed,  Captain  Cressingham,  how 
trifles  annoy  when  one  is  in  a  state  of  illness  ?  And  I  am 
annoyed  by  a  trifle,  one  so  absurd  that  I  feel  ashamed  to 
mention  it." 

Paul  urged  her,  nevertheless,  to  describe  the  annoyance. 

"  What  torments  me  is  a  piece  of  sealing-wax  on  a  panel 
in  my  bedroom.  Reposing  the  other  night,  with  my  eyes 

41 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

turned  towards  it,  I  was  seized  by  a  singular  fancy.  The 
wax  seemed  to  be  receding  through  the  wall,  drawing  me 
after  it.  Reason  told  me  that  this  could  not  be  so,  that  the 
wax  was  immovably  fixed  to  the  panel,  and  that  I  was  in 
bed ;  yet  all  the  same,  there  was  the  circle  of  wax  gliding 
onward  with  never-ending  motion  through  the  realm  of 
air,  and  myself  floating  along  in  its  wake  like  a  dis 
embodied  spirit.  This  sensation  occurs  every  night. 
My  mind  is  kept  perpetually  on  the  rack  following  that 
piece  of  wax  through  the  infinity  of  space,  ever  lured  on 
ward  by  the  hope  of  arriving  at  some  goal.  But  that  goal 
perpetually  evades  me,  and  therein  is  the  torment." 

"  Having  had  the  malaria  myself,"  observed  Paul,  "  I 
can  testify  that  such  queer  notions  do  occur.  What  is  the 
color  of  this  wax  ?  "  he  added,  having  little  doubt  as  to 
what  the  answer  would  be. 

"  It  is  of  a  violet  hue,  and  bears  the  impress  of  a  lamb 
carrying  a  banner.  I  cannot  go  back  to  that  chamber 
again,"  continued  Barbara,  "  or  I  shall  be  driven  mad, 
for  the  annoyance  is  depriving  me  of  all  sleep.  I  must 
change  my  room,  even  though  my  good  nurse  is  opposed 
to  it." 

But  Jacintha  did  not  offer  any  opposition  when  Paul 
made  known  her  patient's  desire  for  a  different  sleeping- 
room  ;  without  any  demur  she  immediately  set  about 
preparing  another  chamber. 

That  same  night,  when  all  was  still  in  the  castle,  Paul, 
taking  a  revolver  and  a  lamp,  sought  the  room  vacated  by 
Barbara.  He  quickly  discovered  the  piece  of  stamped 
wax,  and  saw  that  it  corresponded  precisely  with  the  seal 
upon  the  door  of  the  mysterious  study. 

Extinguishing  his  lamp,  he  sat  down  on  a  chair  beside 
the  panel,  determined  to  watch  there  during  the  night  to 
ascertain,  if  possible,  whether  there  was  any  ground  for 
Barbara's  strange  fancy. 

It  was  a  long  and  dreary  vigil,  and  when  the  gray  light 

42 


Fever  and  Convalescence 

of  dawn  stole  in  through  the  casement,  and  nothing  had 
occurred  to  excite  suspicion,  he  was  fain  to  question  the 
wisdom  of  his  action. 

That  day  Paul  again  carried  Barbara  downstairs  to 
breathe  the  pure  air  of  the  sunlit  terrace. 

"  My  sleep  last  night  was  sweet  and  sound,"  she  re 
marked.  "  With  my  new  bedroom,  and  with  this  glorious 
air,  I  shall  soon  be  well  again." 

She  looked  so  radiant  that  Paul  refrained  from  men 
tioning  his  nocturnal  vigil.  Though  full  of  indefinable 
suspicion  himself,  he  had  no  wish  to  alarm  her  mind ;  and 
he  had  laid  both  on  Lambro  and  Jacintha  an  injunction  to 
maintain  silence  respecting  the  locked  room. 

Barbara's  strength  gradually  returned.  In  a  day  or 
two  she  was  able  to  stand,  and,  leaning  upon  Paul's  arm, 
she  walked  to  and  fro  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the 
castle.  These  promenades  were  soon  lengthened  into 
rambles  along  the  seashore  or  through  the  fragrant  pine 
woods,  Paul  being  her  constant  companion.  She  had 
taken  his  arm  at  first  from  weakness ;  she  now  continued 
to  do  so  from  habit. 

As  his  knowledge  of  Barbara  increased  Paul  discov 
ered  that  she  had  received  an  extraordinary  education, 
her  course  of  study  having  been  as  remarkable  for  what  it 
omitted  as  for  what  it  contained.  While  knowing  very 
little  of  poetry,  painting,  music,  needle-work,  and  other 
accomplishments  usually  included  in  the  feminine  cur 
riculum,  she  was  nevertheless  well  versed  in  mathematics, 
logic,  and  "  the  dismal  science,"  to  wit,  political  economy. 
Classic  antiquity  was  almost  a  sealed  book  to  her,  but 
modern  history  and  current  continental  politics  she  had  at 
her  finger-tips,  and  her  knowledge  of  royal  and  noble 
genealogies  with  all  their  ramifications  might  have  put  a 
herald  to  the  blush.  She  could  give  the  biographies,  and 
the  characteristic  foibles,  of  all  the  leading  statesmen  of 
Europe ;  was  mistress  of  several  modern  languages,  not- 

43 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

ably  Polish  or  Russian,  and  —  most  puzzling  circum 
stance  of  all  —  she  was  quite  au  fait  with  the  mysteries 
and  subtleties  of  Catholic  theology. 

As  she  could  scarcely  have  passed  her  twentieth  year,  it 
seemed  to  Paul  that  Barbara,  in  view  of  her  extensive 
acquirements,  must  have  commenced  her  studies  so  soon 
as  she  had  quitted  her  cradle. 

Her  intellectual  training  appeared  more  adapted  to  the 
acquirements  of  a  ruler,  a  statesman,  or  an  ambassador 
than  to  those  of  an  ordinary  young  lady ;  and  Paul 
puzzled  himself  to  account  for  the  aims  of  those  who  had 
directed  her  education,  for  Barbara  herself  volunteered 
no  information  on  the  matter,  and  still  maintained  an 
attitude  of  reticence  as  to  her  past  life. 


44 


CHAPTER   IV 

THE   SEALED    CHAMBER 

WHEN,  amid  the  most  enchanting  scenery  to  be 
found  in  Europe,  and  at  a  time  when  all  the 
charms  of  summer  are  poured  upon  the  earth, 
a  handsome  young  captain  is  brought  into  companionship 
with  a  youthful  woman,  whose  intellect  charms  even  more 
than  her  beauty ;    and  when  the  pair  dwell  isolated  from 
the  rest  of  the  world  with  nothing  to  divert  attention  from 
each  other,  it  requires  no  prophet  to  predict  the  result. 

Barbara  was  now  out  of  her  convalescent  stage ;  and, 
therefore,  neither  she  nor  Paul  had  any  valid  excuse  for 
remaining  longer  at  Castel  Nuovo ;  nevertheless  they  con 
tinued  to  postpone  indefinitely  the  day  of  departure. 

Paul  completely  ignored  the  regiment  at  Corfu,  and  the 
good  uncle,  who  was  doubtless  fuming  at  his  nephew's 
protracted  absence ;  and  Barbara  on  her  part  seemed  to 
have  forgotten  her  pursuers  from  the  convent,  and  her 
desire  for  the  protection  of  the  British  flag. 

Enwrapped  in  each  other,  yielding  to  the  delicious  spirit 
of  dolce  far  niente,  the  pair  were  leading  an  idyllian  life. 

To  Lambro  and  Jacintha  the  scenery  around  was  as  it 
had  always  been,  but  to  Paul  and  Barbara,  mountains,  sea, 
air,  sky,  had  become  steeped  in  hues  of  divine  beauty ; 
each  succeeding  day  seemed  happier  than  the  preceding. 

They  entertained  a  dreamy  notion  that  their  life  at 
Castel  Nuovo  would  not  last  forever,  but  its  end  they  put 
far  from  their  thoughts.  The  golden  present  was  all  in 
all.  Why  anticipate  pain  ?  Vogue  la  galere. 

45 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

Lambro  offered  no  opposition  to  their  stay,  though  the 
thought  of  the  Master's  return  gave  him  some  uneasiness 
at  times,  and  he  said  as  much  to  Jacintha. 

"  I  wish  he  would  come,"  was  her  reply.  "  I  should 
like  to  see  his  face  when  he  sets  eyes  upon  the  signorina." 

"  He  '11  think  as  we  did,  that  she  has  risen  from  the 
dead,"  returned  Lambro. 

"  Well,  she  has  a  protector  in  Captain  Cressingham, 
who  will  know  how  to  deal  with  the  Master,  should  he 
appear." 

"  Humph !  there  '11  be  the  devil  to  pay  ere  long," 
growled  Lambro.  That  Jacintha  was  not  married  to  the 
old  Greek  troubled  Barbara  very  little,  if  at  all.  Jacintha 
had  brought  her  back  to  life;  Jacintha  was  as  good  as 
gold ;  Barbara,  figuratively  speaking,  would  have  turned 
and  rent  any  one  who  should  have  ventured  to  assail  the 
reputation  of  Jacintha. 

For,  thanks  to  new  influences,  Barbara's  character  was 
undergoing  development.  The  stateliness  and  gravity 
that  had  marked  her  bearing  on  the  first  night  of  her 
coming  to  Castel  Nuovo  were  yielding  to  a  more  buoyant 
and  girlish  spirit. 

Close  to  the  castle  a  semicircle  of  dark  rocks,  with  a 
sandy  base,  over  which  the  tide  flowed,  formed  an  ideal 
bathing  place.  Every  morning  Barbara  would  seek  this 
spot  attended  by  Jacintha. 

"  Would  n't  Abbess  Teresa  and  the  nuns  be  scandalized 
if  they  saw  me  now  ?  "  she  would  remark  as  she  returned 
to  breakfast,  laughing  and  wringing  out  her  dark  wet 
locks  like  some  lovely  Nereid. 

She  was  a  maiden  formed  for  gayety.  In  previous 
days  her  natural  disposition  had  evidently  been  kept  under 
restraint.  She  was  now  revelling  in  the  sunshine  of  a  new 
and  sweet  liberty,  and  Jacintha  could  scarcely  believe  her 
own  eyes,  when  one  day,  attracted  by  the  sounds  of  sweet 
laughter  and  of  ringing  steel  proceeding  from  an  adjoin- 

46 


The  Sealed  Chamber 

ing  apartment,  she  peeped  in  and  discovered  the  cause  of 
it  all  to  be  Barbara,  who  was  receiving  her  first  lesson  in 
fencing  from  Paul,  while  Lambro  looked  on  with  sombre 
approval. 

"  What  next,  I  wonder  ?  "  thought  Jacintha. 

Barbara  illumined  the  dark  and  melancholy  castle  like 
a  sunbeam.  Even  Lambro  relaxed  something  of  his 
moroseness  in  her  presence,  and  had  begun  to  doubt 
whether  five  hundred  beshliks  could  procure  in  the  mart 
of  Janina  a  maiden  in  all  respects  like  Barbara.  She  had 
taken  to  Lambro  much  more  than  Paul  had,  who  could 
not  overcome  his  secret  distrust  of  the  old  Palicar. 

But  then  Lambro  was  a  hero  in  Barbara's  eyes,  because 
he  had  fought  for  the  freedom  of  a  conquered  race,  and 
she  herself,  as  it  subsequently  transpired,  was  the  daughter 
of  a  conquered  race. 

When  the  day's  strolling  with  Paul  was  over,  and  the 
evening  meal  finished,  she  would  invite  the  old  Greek  to 
fight  his  battles  over  again.  Sitting  on  a  low  stool  at  his 
feet,  and  resting  her  elbows  on  her  lap  and  her  chin  on 
her  hands,  her  hair  sometimes  falling  in  dusky  waves 
around  her  fair  throat,  she  would  betray  such  interest  in 
Lambro's  reminiscences  that  the  foolish  Paul  was  often 
moved  to  jealousy. 

"  And  by  deeds  such  as  these,"  she  murmured  on  one 
occasion,  "  was  the  freedom  of  Hellas  won.  Why  should 
not  Poland  achieve  what  Greece  has  achieved  ?  " 

"  So,  signorina,  you  are  of  Polish  blood  ?  "  smiled  Paul. 

"  And  am  proud  of  my  nationality." 

"  I  would  for  your  sake  that  your  people  were  free." 

;'  They  will  be  free  again,"  she  answered,  a  beautiful 
heroic  look  transfiguring  her  face  with  a  new  light.  "Oh ! 
Kosciusko,"  she  cried,  with  an  outburst  of  patriotism  that 
quite  surprised  Paul,  "  why  did  you  say  '  Finis  Polonies '? 
Because  you  said  it,  men  have  come  to  believe  it.  No, 
no,  it  is  not  true.  The  greenstone  sceptre  of  Poland  may 

47 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

lie  in  the  treasury  of  the  Kremlin  broken  in  halves,  but 
the  spirit  of  the  Polish  people  is  not  broken.  Would  that 
I  had  been  born  a  man  that  I  might  shoulder  musket  and 
fight  for  fatherland !  The  Princess  Radzivil  fought  on 
horseback  against  the  Russians,  and  why  may  not  I?" 
And  then  raising  her  wine-glass  aloft,  she  added,  "  Con 
fusion  to  the  Czar !  " 

"  Amen,"  said  Lambro,  responsive  to  the  toast.  "  We 
had  to  assassinate  old  Capo  d'Istria  because  he  was  too 
much  under  Russian  influence.  Ah !  how  we  danced  the 
Romai'ka  the  night  he  died !  " 

This  remark  of  Lambro  created  a  diversion,  for  Bar 
bara,  who  had  never  seen  the  Greek  national  dance,  asked 
him  to  describe  it. 

The  old  Palicar  did  more  than  describe,  —  he  acted  it. 
Kicking  his  embroidered  slippers  into  the  air  he  went 
through  all  the  flings  and  evolutions  of  the  Romaika  with 
an  agility  surprising  for  one  so  aged,  at  the  same  time 
chanting  an  appropriate  ballad. 

"  Ah !  who  could  leap  higher  than  Lambro  in  his 
youth  ?  "  he  cried,  when  he  had  finished  his  performance. 

Barbara  thanked  him,  and  observed,  with  a  pretty  air 
of  command,  that  as  Lambro  had  done  something  to  enter 
tain  them  it  was  now  Paul's  turn  to  do  the  like. 

And  Paul  began  by  singing  the  first  song  that  entered 
his  head  and  that  happened  to  be  "  The  Mistletoe  Bough," 
at  that  time  not  so  hackneyed  a  ballad  as  now,  and  prob 
ably  never  before  heard  in  the  hall  of  a  Dalmatian  castle. 
At  any  rate  it  was  new  to  his  hearers,  and  Barbara  in 
particular  seemed  much  interested  by  it. 

"  Is  there  any  truth  in  it?  "  she  asked  at  its  conclusion. 

"  Supposed  to  be  founded  on  fact,"  returned  Paul,  pro 
ceeding  to  relate  the  story  of  the  fair  lady  of  Modena. 

"  Ginevra,  if  she  had  lived  at  Castel  Nuovo,"  observed 
Barbara,  "  might  have  found  a  better  place  of  concealment 
than  an  oaken  chest.  Now,"  she  added,  prompted  by  a 

48 


The  Sealed  Chamber 

playful  impulse,  "  give  me  a  clear  start  of  one  minute,  and 
without  going  outside  the  castle  I  will  undertake  to  hide 
where  no  one  shall  find  me." 

She  sprang  up,  and  with  laughing  eyes  and  graceful 
step  danced  from  the  apartment. 

"  She  is  still  a  girl,  you  see,"  smiled  Paul. 

Entering  into  the  fun  of  the  thing  they  allowed  a  full 
minute  to  elapse,  and  then  set  off  to  find  her. 

They  went  through  the  castle  from  roof  to  basement, 
exploring  every  place  capable  of  affording  concealment. 
But  Barbara  was  invisible ;  she  had  vanished  as  if  com 
pletely  melted  to  air. 

Half-an-hour  had  passed  in  this  search.  Then  they 
went  again  through  the  building  loudly  calling  her  by 
name,  and,  proclaiming  themselves  beaten,  they  invited 
her  to  come  forth  from  her  hiding  place. 

Their  appeal  met  with  no  response.  They  stared  du 
biously  at  one  another.  The  affair  had  begun  to  lose  its 
humorous  side.  The  death-like  silence,  Barbara's  invisi 
bility,  the  gray  twilight  now  stealing  through  the  castle, 
caused  it  to  assume  a  somewhat  ghostly  aspect. 

"  She  must  have  gone  outside,"  said  Lambro. 

"  She  promised  to  keep  within  the  building,"  observed 
Paul. 

For  the  third  time  they  explored  the  castle,  ending  their 
search  on  the  highest  landing  of  the  staircase.  Here 
they  paused  before  the  locked  door  of  the  mysterious 
study. 

"  She  is  perhaps  concealed  here,"  suggested  Paul. 

"  Impossible,"  returned  Lambro,  pointing  to  the  wax. 
"  The  Master's  seal  is  unbroken." 

"  There  is  an  entrance  to  this  room  leading  from  the 
chamber  in  which  the  signorina  first  slept,"  remarked 
Paul  quietly. 

This  statement  was  pure  conjecture  on  his  part,  but  its 
truth  was  instantly  made  evident  by  Lambro's  manner. 
4  49 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

He  turned  so  savagely  upon  Jacintha  that  Paul  thought 
he  was  going  to  strike  her. 

"  So  you  could  n't  keep  your  tongue  quiet  ?  " 

"  You  err,"  said  Paul,  hastening  to  vindicate  the 
woman.  "  Jacintha  has  told  me  nothing.  It  is  simply  a 
guess  of  mine,  and  —  " 

He  broke  off  abruptly  and  placed  his  ear  to  the  door. 

"  By  heaven,  there  is  some  one  in  this  room.  I  can 
detect  a  sound  within.  Signorina,  are  you  here?"  he 
cried,  rapping  upon  the  panels. 

The  dusk  of  the  landing  was  suddenly  illumined  by  a 
light  that  came  and  went  in  a  moment.  Merely  a  flash  of 
summer  lightning. 

It  was  accompanied  by  something  startling  within.  A 
faint  cry  of  "  Oh !  "  —  plainly  the  voice  of  Barbara ;  a 
dull  thud  as  of  the  fall  of  a  human  body,  and  then  a  sig 
nificant  stillness. 

With  a  soldier's  promptitude  Paul  flung  himself  against 
the  door,  bruising  his  shoulders  by  the  violence  of  the 
impact. 

"  You  '11  never  force  that  door,"  said  Lambro.  "  It 's 
too  strong.  We  must  go  downstairs.  The  signorina  must 
have  got  in  here  through  the  secret  panel  in  the  bedroom." 

Paul  darted  down  the  staircase,  and  in  a  moment  more 
was  within  the  bedchamber.  He  saw  what  had  escaped 
his  eye  in  the  three  previous  explorations,  namely,  that 
the  circular  piece  of  violet-colored  wax  was  traversed  by 
a  horizontal  fracture,  clearly  caused  by  the  moving  of  the 
panel.  Lambro,  who  had  followed  close  upon  Paul, 
touched  a  certain  spring  hidden  within  some  ornamental 
carving  of  the  wall,  and  the  panel  glided  off  laterally, 
revealing  a  narrow  corridor  behind. 

"  To  the  left,"  said  Lambro.  "  There  's  a  staircase  a 
few  feet  off.  At  the  top  of  that  another  to  the  right. 
Mount  that  and  you  '11  see  the  Master's  room  before 
you." 

50 


The  Sealed  Chamber 

It  was  strange  that  the  old  Palicar  did  not  follow  Paul 
up  the  staircase,  but  so  it  was.  He  remained  in  the  bed 
room  by  the  open  panel  with  his  hand  to  his  ear  in  the 
attitude  of  listening. 

"  Oh,  if  she  has  discovered  —  it !  "  said  Jacintha,  with 
clasped  hands. 

"Well,  what  if  she  has?  It  was  not  our  doing,  nor 
the  Master's  for  the  matter  of  that." 

"  When  I  heard  the  signorina  fall  just  now  it  brought 
the  heart  to  my  mouth.  It  reminded  me  of  that  other 
fall  —  you  know  whose.  And  in  the  same  room,  too! 
If- 

"  Hold  your  tongue !  How  can  I  listen  while  you  keep 
chattering?  " 

Paul,  following  the  directions  given  by  Lambro,  had 
ascended  the  two  staircases,  and  passing  through  a  square 
opening  in  a  panelled  wall  similar  to  that  which  he  had 
just  quitted,  found  himself  in  the  mysterious  study. 

Barbara  lay  upon  the  floor  in  a  seeming  swoon. 

Paul  cast  one  swift  glance  around  the  apartment,  but 
failed  to  discern  anything  in  its  present  state  calculated  to 
inspire  fear. 

Kneeling  by  Barbara's  side  he  raised  her  to  a  sitting 
posture,  and  passing  his  left  arm  around  her  rested  her 
head  upon  his  shoulder. 

"Dearest  Barbara,  what  has  frightened  you?"  he 
asked,  observing  that  her  eyes  were  opening.  It  was  the 
first  time  he  had  addressed  her  by  her  Christian  name ; 
the  word  had  escaped  him  quite  involuntarily.  "  What 
has  frightened  you  ?  "  he  repeated. 

'  That !  "  she  said. 

Like  a  timid  child  she  clung  to  him,  and  indicating  as 
the  cause  of  her  fear  the  life-size  portrait  of  a  man  hang 
ing  upon  the  wall,  —  a  portrait  scarcely  discernible  in  the 
dim  light. 

"  Take  me  away,"  she  murmured  faintly.     "  There  is 

51 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

something1  strange  in  the  atmosphere  of  this  room,  some 
thing  that  I  can't  understand,  something  that  makes  me 
fear.  Take  me  away." 

As  she  seemed  unable  of  herself  to  rise,  Paul  raised  her 
light  form  in  his  arms  and  carried  her  down  the  secret 
stairway,  through  the  bedchamber,  past  the  wondering 
Lambro  and  his  consort,  back  again  into  the  dining-hall 
whence  she  had  first  set  out. 

She  neither  blushed  nor  resisted  at  finding  herself  in 
his  arms,  apparently  not  giving  the  matter  a  thought. 
Her  fear  overpowered  every  other  emotion. 

"  Lambro,"  she  asked,  when  somewhat  revived  by  a 
stimulant  administered  by  Jacintha.  "  There  is  a  man's 
portrait  on  the  wall  of  that  room.  Whose  ?  " 

"The  Master's." 

"  The  Master's  ? "  she  echoed  in  a  tone  of  dismay. 
"  Have  I  been  living  all  this  time  in  the  house  of  my 
enemy?  " 

"  You  know  the  Master,  then  ? "  inquired  Paul  of 
Barbara.  "What  is  his  name?" 

"  Cardinal  Ravenna." 

"  The  Master  is  a  cardinal,  I  believe,"  said  Lambro. 
"  Ravenna  ?  Humph !  I  have  heard  him  called  that  by 
—  by  some ;  but  it 's  not  the  name  he  usually  bears  when 
here." 

"  You  serve  a  very  bad  master,  Lambro,"  said  Barbara 
reproachfully. 

The  old  Palicar  shrugged  his  shoulders  in  lieu  of  a 
reply. 

Paul  here  recalled  Lambro's  remark  to  the  effect  that 
the  Master  belonged  to  a  peculiar  brotherhood  pledged  to 
the  repudiation  of  women.  This  misogyny  was  now  ex 
plained.  But  why  should  the  abode  of  a  Roman  ecclesi 
astic  contain  a  lady's  bedchamber  kept  in  a  state  of  prep 
aration  for  an  occupant  ?  Paul  glanced  at  Jacintha  as  if 
seeking  an  explanation  from  her,  but  the  old  Greek  had 

52 


The  Sealed  Chamber 

set  a  warning  eye  upon  his  partner,  and  under  that  glitter 
ing  terror  Jacintha  became  mute. 

"  You  have  broken  the  Master's  seal,"  grumbled  Lam- 
bro,  turning  to  Barbara.  "  He  will  learn  that  some  one 
has  been  in  that  room.  What  excuse  am  I  to  make  to 
him?" 

"  How  did  you  discover  the  secret  panel?  "  asked  Paul 
of  Barbara,  and  paying  but  scant  respect  to  the  Palicar's 
complaint. 

"  By  accident,"  she  replied.  "  Sleeping  or  waking  that 
violet  wax  has  exercised  a  fascination  over  me.  Yester 
day,  attracted  by  an  indefinable  impulse,  I  stole  into  the 
bedchamber.  Conjecturing  that  the  panel  might  be  a 
movable  one,  I  began  to  search  for  the  spring.  Fortune 
favored  my  endeavors ;  I  discovered  the  hidden  corridor, 
but  did  not  venture  within.  To-day  when  I  heard  you 
relate  the  story  of  Ginevra,  I  thought  it  would  be  a  piece 
of  fun  to  hide  behind  the  panel  and  get  you  to  search  for 
me.  While  standing  there  in  concealment  the  impulse 
came  upon  me  to  go  forward  and  explore.  I  ascended  the 
two  staircases,  and  entered  the  upper  room  by  a  panel 
which  I  found  open.  Till  that  moment  curiosity  had  been 
my  only  feeling,  but  as  soon  as  I  entered  the  gray  twi 
light  of  that  room  I  found  myself  trembling;  the  place 
seemed  like  a  haunted  chamber.  And  yet  frightened 
though  I  was  I  could  not  retreat.  Some  strange  power 
drew  me  on  to  the  centre  of  the  apartment,  and  there  I 
stood  looking  around  for  —  I  know  not  what.  I  could 
hear  your  far-off  cries,  but  I  hesitated  to  answer  lest  the 
sound  of  my  voice  should  call  forth  something  terrible 
from  this  silent  chamber. 

"  Then  suddenly  the  sight  of  a  lady's  portrait  hanging 
on  the  wall  impelled  me  forward  and  almost  made  me 
forget  my  fears.  The  portrait  was  so  like  me  that  at  first 
I  thought  it  must  be  mine,  but  I  know  it  cannot  be." 

"Why  not?"  asked  Paul. 

53 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

"  Because  I  have  never  sat  to  an  artist,  and,  moreover, 
the  lady  is  wearing  a  dress  such  as  I  have  never  worn. 
She  carries  a  sceptre  in  her  hand  and  on  her  head  is  a 
diadem.  Who  ever  saw  me  with  sceptre  and  diadem  ? 
No ;  the  portrait  is  not  mine.  Whose  can  it  be  ?  Do  you 
know,  Lambro?  " 

The  old  Palicar  shook  his  head,  but  Paul  felt  that  little 
reliance  could  be  placed  on  his  denial. 

"  In  a  distant  corner,"  continued  Barbara,  "  was  an 
other  portrait,  less  easy  to  examine  since  it  hung  in  the 
shadows.  As  I  was  moving  forward  a  sudden  gleam 
illumined  the  dusky  chamber,  bringing  every  line  of  the 
portrait  into  clear  relief.  I  recognized  the  face  of  my 
enemy,  Cardinal  Ravenna ;  he  seemed  to  be  smiling  at 
me  with  wicked  satisfaction.  Such  fear  and  trembling 
took  hold  of  me  that  I  fainted." 

"  And  that  is  all  you  have  seen  ?  "  said  Lambro,  with 
evident  relief,  a  feeling  in  which  Jacintha  seemed  to 
share. 

"  What  else  was  there  to  see,  then?  "  asked  Paul,  fixing 
a  significant  look  on  the  Palicar,  who  remained  mute  to 
the  question. 

"  And  this  place,  you  say,  belongs  to  Cardinal  Ra 
venna  ?  "  said  Barbara.  "  I  must  leave  to-morrow." 

"  Oh!  my  lady,  so  soon?  "  cried  Jacintha  sorrowfully, 
for  she  had  become  very  fond  of  Barbara. 

"  If  the  cardinal  should  appear  he  will  take  me  back  to 
the  convent." 

"  By  whose  authority  ?  "  asked  Paul,  hotly. 

"  He  is  my  guardian." 

"  That  rhay  be,  but  he  shall  not  restore  you  to  the 
convent  against  your  will.  You  have  not  taken  the 
vows  of  a  nun  ?  " 

"  No.  I  was  placed  in  the  convent  to  be  educated 
merely." 

"  And  you  do  not  wish  to  return  ?  " 

54 


The  Sealed  Chamber 

"  After  enjoying  freedom  ?     Oh  !  no,  no." 

"  Then  you  shall  not  return,"  said  Paul,  decisively. 

"  Still  I  must  leave  here.  I  cannot  stay  longer  under 
this  roof." 

"  True,  but  do  not  act  hastily.  Where  are  you  going  ? 
What  are  your  plans?  Take  a  day  for  reflection.  That 
brief  delay  will  not  make  much  difference.  It  is  not  likely 
that  the  cardinal  will  appear  to-morrow,  and  if  he  should, 
what  matters  ?  For  my  own  part  I  should  very  much  like 
to  come  face  to  face  with  the  man  who  proposes  to  im 
mure  you  within  the  walls  of  a  nunnery.  He  would  not 
find  me  honey-tongued,  though  such  a  course  may  seem 
ungrateful  after  having  so  long  enjoyed  the  shelter  of 
his  roof.  Fear  him  not,  signorina.  Remain  at  least 
another  day.  Remember  that  to-morrow  was  fixed  for 
our  sail  to  Isola  Sacra." 

Barbara  was  persuaded  by  these  words.  One  day,  as 
Paul  had  said,  would  not  make  much  difference. 

"  And  I  fainted  at  sight  of  a  picture !  "  she  said,  with 
self-reproachful  smile.  "  I,  who  have  talked  of  shoulder 
ing  a  musket,  and  of  fighting  for  Poland." 

"  We  all  have  our  fears  at  times.  I  ran  away  from  my 
first  battle,"  observed  Lambro,  without  stating  from  how 
many  others  he  had  run. 

Now  that  her  fears  were  vanishing,  Barbara  began  to 
review  the  sequel  of  her  recent  adventure.  She  had 
waked  from  a  swoon  to  find  herself  in  the  arms  of  Paul, 
and  with  the  words  "  dearest  Barbara  "  falling  upon  her 
ear.  The  significance  of  the  expression  did  not  appeal 
to  her  at  the  time,  but  now  the  recalling  of  it  caused  her 
heart  to  palpitate.  Her  color  came  and  went.  She 
scarcely  dared  raise  her  eyes  to  meet  his  gaze.  Silence 
and  shyness  marked  her  as  their  own  for  the  remainder 
of  the  evening. 

That  night,  when  the  other  inmates  of  the  castle  were 
sleeping,  Paul,  with  lighted  lamp,  stole  off  to  the  bed- 

55 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

chamber  containing  the  secret  panel,  and  began  to  ex 
plore  the  hidden  passage  and  staircase  leading  to  the 
mysterious  study.  Roof,  walls,  and  flooring  were  of 
black  oak  thick  with  dust.  Every  angle  had  a  festoon  of 
cobwebs.  On  turning  the  corner  of  the  staircase  Paul 
made  his  first  discovery.  For  some  purpose  or  other  a 
very  long  nail  had  been  fixed  in  the  baluster,  and  not 
having  been  driven  far  into  the  wood,  it  projected  in  such 
a  manner  that  unobservant  persons  brushing  hastily  by 
would  run  the  risk  of  tearing  their  clothing. 

Some  such  accident  had  happened,  for  from  the  head 
of  this  nail  there  hung  a  tiny  shred  of  flimsy  fabric,  which, 
upon  examination  by  the  light  of  the  lamp,  Paul  found  to 
be  a  fragment  of  delicate  lace,  —  lace  of  a  color,  texture, 
and  pattern  that  he  had  seen  in  the  charming  white  cos 
tume  with  the  silver  rope-girdle  which  Jacintha  had  be 
stowed  upon  Barbara. 

This  fragment  of  lace  had  not  become  detached  while 
Barbara  herself  was  turning  the  staircase,  inasmuch  as 
during  her  recent  adventure  she  had  been  wearing  a  dif 
ferent  dress. 

Scrutinizing  everywhere,  Paul  was  attracted  by  a  faint 
sparkle  coming  from  the  dust  in  a  corner  of  the  staircase, 
the  cause  of  which  proved  to  be  a  little  article  of  gold, 
obviously  a  seal.  It  was  circular  in  shape,  and  the  band 
encircling  the  stone  was  inscribed  with  the  motto,  "  Esse 
qnam  videri."  The  stone  itself  forming  the  seal  was  a 
lovely  sapphire  bearing  the  image  of  a  double-headed 
eagle,  beautifully  and  delicately  engraved. 

"  The  royal  arms  of  Poland,  as  I  live !  "  muttered  Paul. 
His  surprise  was  naturally  very  great,  but  since  specula 
tion  as  to  how  the  thing  came  to  be  there  would  have 
been  mere  waste  of  time,  he  pocketed  the  treasure-trove 
and  passed  on  to  the  mysterious  apartment.  This  he 
found  differed  in  no  way  from  an  ordinary  study.  It 
was  well  lighted  and  well  carpeted.  There  were  numer- 

56 


The  Sealed  Chamber 

ous  shelves  with  books  thereon.  There  were  chairs,  a 
table,  and  an  escritoire.  There  were  oil-paintings  on  the 
walls.  There  was  really  nothing  to  alarm  one  in  the  as 
pect  of  the  apartment.  Paul  did  not  feel  anything  of  the 
strange  sensation  spoken  of  by  Barbara,  and  therefore  he 
felt  compelled  to  ascribe  that  part  of  her  experience  to 
the  imagination  of  a  timid  maiden.  The  room  was  locked 
and  sealed  from  intrusion :  ergo,  her  argument  was  there 
must  be  something  fearful  in  it. 

Paul  turned  his  attention  to  the  portraits  on  the  wall, 
and  began  with  that  of  the  Master  who  was  represented 
in  the  scarlet  robes  of  a  cardinal.  It  was  a  handsome 
face  upon  which  Paul  gazed,  —  a  face  full  of  intellectual 
power,  with  nothing  of  the  mystic  visionary  about  it ;  the 
face  of  a  man  of  action,  a  man  of  ambition,  an  ecclesias 
tical  statesman  of  the  type  of  Richelieu  or  Mazarin.  Paul 
waved  the  lamp  to  and  fro,  trying  to  educe  the  wicked 
expression  that  had  frightened  Barbara.  True,  the 
countenance  was  a  cold  and  haughty  character,  but  he 
could  not  honestly  affirm  that  there  was  anything  sinister 
in  it.  Barbara's  fancy  was  probably  due  to  her  hostile 
feelings. 

He  next  surveyed  the  picture  of  the  young  lady,  —  a 
maiden  robed  in  jewelled  attire  with  pearl  necklace,  dia 
dem,  and  sceptre.  The  resemblance  to  Barbara  was  in 
deed  so  marvellous  that  Paul  at  first  was  disposed  to 
believe  that  she  was  the  person  here  represented,  and 
that  the  symbols  of  high  rank  were  decorative  fancies 
of  the  artist. 

A  closer  study  of  the  portrait,  however,  made  him 
think  otherwise.  True,  every  feature  corresponded  with 
Barbara's ;  hair  and  eyes  were  of  the  same  color.  The 
difference  was  in  the  expression.  This  girl  had  mischiev 
ous  eyes,  an  arch  smile,  a  radiant  look.  It  was  clearly  the 
face  of  one  leading  a  happy,  unclouded  life,  whereas 
even  in  Barbara's  smile  there  was  always  a  tinge  of  mel- 

57 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

ancholy,  as  if  her  mind  were  shadowed  by  the  memory 
of  some  secret  sorrow. 

Who  was  this  youthful  lady  with  the  smiling  eyes?  If 
she  resembled  Barbara  in  face,  why  not  in  the  height 
and  shape  of  her  figure  ?  Ah !  here  without  doubt  was 
the  original  wearer  of  that  soft,  silky  dress  which  had 
required  no  alteration  to  suit  Barbara.  The  young  lady 
had  perhaps  left  it  as  a  parting  gift  to  Jacintha  for  ser 
vices  rendered  by  the  latter. 

She  had  doubtless  come  to  Castel  Nuovo  under  the 
charge  of  Cardinal  Ravenna.  Singular  that  the  bed 
chamber  in  which  Barbara  had  slept  should  have  been 
previously  occupied  by  a  lady  her  exact  counterpart  in 
face  and  figure !  Was  the  bedroom  that  was  kept  in  a 
constant  state  of  readiness  intended  for  her  use? 

He  understood  now  the  cause  of  the  amazement  on  the 
part  of  Lambro  and  Jacintha  when  they  first  beheld  Bar 
bara;  they  were  doubtless  startled  by  her  extraordinary 
resemblance  to  their  previous  guest. 

That  this  lady  had  traversed  the  corridor  leading  to 
the  cardinal's  study  was  proved  by  the  lace  fragment  of 
her  dress  adhering  to  the  nail  of  the  staircase,  though  it 
was  difficult  to  assign  a  reason  for  this  proceeding.  A 
secret  amour  was  the  first  idea  that  suggested  itself.  But 
then,  a  girl  with  so  lovely  a  face  would  never  lack  youth 
ful  and  handsome  lovers ;  it  was  not  likely,  therefore, 
that  she  would  be  guilty  of  an  intrigue  with  an  ecclesi 
astic  old  enough  to  be  her  father. 

The  mystery  was  bewildering,  especially  when  the  dia 
dem  and  sceptre  were  taken  into  consideration.  Lambro 
and  his  consort  could  explain  it,  but  only  by  breaking  the 
oath  imposed  upon  them  by  the  cardinal, — an  oath  taken, 
if  Jacintha's  words  were  true,  upon  the  Holy  Sacrament 
itself.  It  must  be  a  weighty  secret  to  require  such  safe 
guarding;  nay,  more,  it  was  a  secret  that  threatened 
Jacintha's  own  life,  as  shown  by  her  remark  to  Lam- 

58 


The  Sealed  Chamber 

bro :  "  Shall  I  be  permitted  to  leave  here  after  youi 
death  ?  " 

Musing  on  all  this,  Paul  turned  from  the  portraits  to 
examine  the  rest  of  the  apartment,  without  discovering 
anything  of  consequence,  till,  being  near  the  hearth,  he 
happened  to  glance  downwards.  For  a  moment  he  stood 
as  still  as  a  statue ;  then  he  stooped  and  held  the  lamp 
low. 

On  the  polished  oak  flooring  was  a  dark  stain. 


59 


CHAPTER  V 

THE   RETURN    OF    THE    "  MASTER  " 

THE  "  Isola  Sacra  "  mentioned  by  Paul  as  an  in 
ducement  for  Barbara  to  prolong  her  stay,  was  a 
small,  uninhabited  island  facing  Castel  Nuovo  at 
the  distance  of  about  three  miles. 

The  island  had  often  attracted  the  curiosity  of  Barbara, 
and  Paul  had  promised  that  he  would  row  her  over  to  it 
whenever  she  felt  disposed. 

The  day  named  by  her  for  the  excursion  had  come,  and 
accordingly  after  breakfast  Paul  and  Barbara  descended 
to  the  beach,  where  they  found  Lambro  getting  his  sail 
ing-boat  ready  for  their  use.  Jacintha  followed  with  a 
luncheon-basket  on  her  arm. 

"  It 's  no  use  putting  up  the  sail,"  remarked  the  old 
Greek.  "  There  's  not  a  breath  of  wind  stirring.  You  '11 
have  to  row." 

Barbara  sat  by  the  tiller,  where  a  silken  cushion  had 
been  placed  for  her  accommodation.  Paul  taking  the 
oars  pushed  off,  giving  a  smile  to  Jacintha  and  a  nod 
to  Lambro. 

"  At  what  hour  must  we  expect  you  back  ? "  asked 
Jacintha. 

"  Not  till  evening,"  replied  Paul,  who  set  out  with  the 
intention  of  spending  the  day  upon  the  island,  and  of 
returning  in  romantic  style  beneath  the  light  of  the  stars. 

It  was  a  morning  of  soft  sunlight,  lovely  and  still,  — 
"  the  very  bridal  of  the  earth  and  sky."  The  heaven  was 
one  deep,  living  blue,  and  the  sea  so  smooth  that  the 
mountain  peaks,  the  cliffs,  and  the  towers  of  the  castle 

60 


The  Return  of  the  "  Master  " 

were  reflected  on  the  azure  surface  of  the  water  as  in  a 
mirror. 

"  It  seems,"  sighed  Barbara  to  herself,  "  that  my  last 
day  here  is  to  be  the  fairest." 

In  happy,  dreamy  silence  she  leaned  back  in  her  seat, 
holding  the  cords  of  the  tiller,  and  watching  Paul  as  he 
manipulated  the  oars.  Each  sweep  of  his  arm  lifted  the 
boat  half  out  of  the  water,  for  he  was  no  novice  at  rowing, 
being  the  captain  of  the  Britannic  Aquatic  Club  at  Corfu. 

Barbara  had  never  known  any  pleasure  equal  to  that  of 
Paul's  companionship ;  and  now  this  pleasure  was  about 
to  end  —  unless  —  unless.  And  then  the  questions  that 
had  robbed  her  of  sleep  during  the  night  began  again  their 
work  of  torture.  Why  had  he  called  her  "  dearest  Bar 
bara  "  ?  Was  it  a  mere  transitory  outburst  of  affection 
on  his  part,  evoked  by  her  helpless  state?  Would  he 
place  her  on  shipboard  at  Zara,  and,  leaving  her  to  go  on 
her  way  alone,  return  to  Corfu?  The  thought  alarmed 
her ;  she  grew  faint  at  the  idea  of  a  future  without  Paul. 

She  contrived  to  mask  her  emotion  beneath  a  calm  ex 
terior,  and  as  Paul  caught  her  smiles,  he  little  thought 
how  her  heart  was  pulsating  to  the  very  tune  of  love. 
She  even  volunteered  to  take  one  of  the  oars. 

"  What  ?  and  but  just  recovered  from  a  fever !  Besides, 
you  will  blister  your  fingers." 

But  Barbara  was  not  to  be  dissuaded.  She  took  the 
oar,  and,  never  having  held  one  before,  behaved  like  a  true 
novice.  She  failed  to  keep  time  with  her  partner,  and  her 
oar  either  did  not  strike  the  water,  or  striking,  deluged 
the  boat  with  spray,  till  Paul  began  to  consider  whether  it 
would  not  be  wise  to  suspend  the  luncheon-basket  from 
the  masthead.  Strange  how  man  will  tolerate  in  woman 
blundering  such  as  he  would  not  tolerate  for  a  moment  in 
his  fellowman !  Barbara's  incompetence  at  the  oar  was 
delightful  in  Paul's  eyes. 

"  I  'd  better  give  it  up,"  she  cried  laughingly.  "  Our 

61 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

boat  is  performing  such  extraordinary  gyrations  that  the 
steamer  from  Zara,  which  I  can  see  in  the  distance,  will 
be  coming  up  to  ascertain  the  cause." 

So  Paul  resumed  possession  of  the  oar,  and  rowing 
onward  in  gallant  style,  reached  the  island,  and  ran  the 
boat  in  upon  the  sands  of  a  little  bay. 

Isola  Sacra  was  not  more  than  two  miles  in  length,  and 
about  one  in  breadth ;  nevertheless,  within  its  limited 
space  there  was  considerable  diversity.  There  were  cliffs 
rising  vertically  from  the  water;  there  were  strips  of 
yellow  sand  by  the  sea;  there  were  woods,  and  a  silver- 
flashing  stream.  And  most  attractive  sight  of  all,  the 
remains  of  a  Grecian  temple  crowning  the  summit  of  a 
small  eminence,  the  marble  columns  glowing  brilliantly 
white  against  a  background  of  dark  cypresses. 

Towards  this  edifice  they  slowly  made  their  way. 

"  To  whom  was  this  temple  raised  ?  "  asked  Barbara, 
as  they  stood  within  the  ruin. 

"  It  was  the  shrine  of  Eros." 

The  Temple  of  Love!  What  more  appropriate  place 
could  there  be  for  an  avowal? 

"  The  god  of  love,"  she  murmured  softly.  "  And  his 
altar  and  shrine  are  fallen !  " 

"  But  not  his  worship,"  replied  Paul.  "  That  is 
eternal." 

Barbara  averted  her  eyes,  and  trembled  with  a  sweet 
feeling. 

They  sat  down  on  a  fallen  column  beneath  the  shadow 
cast  by  a  graceful  palm.  Before  them  lay  the  bay  they 
had  just  crossed,  —  a  blue  semicircular  mirror,  the  II- 
lyrian  mountains  forming  a  picturesque  background. 

Paul  and  Barbara  sat  drinking  in  the  deep  beauty  of 
the  scene.  In  the  boat  their  conversation  had  been  lively 
and  unrestrained,  but  now  a  silence  lay  on  both. 

Barbara  was  the  first  to  speak. 

"  I  think,"  she  murmured  dreamily,  gazing  at  the  sky, 

62 


The  Return  of  the  "  Master  " 

"  that  the  loveliest  part  of  heaven  must  be  above  this 
isle." 

Paul  glanced  at  her  inquiringly,  not  quite  comprehend 
ing  her  remark. 

"  The  Arabian  poets,"  she  continued,  "  assert  that  the 
fairest  spot  on  earth  is  situated  beneath  the  fairest  spot 
in  heaven,  the  earthly,  as  it  were,  being  a  reflex  of  the 
heavenly." 

"  A  pretty  idea !  "  said  Paul.  "  With  me,  however,  the 
fairest  place  on  earth  is  not  a  fixed,  but  a  moveable  point." 

"  Yes  ?  "  said  Barbara  inquiringly. 

"  To  me  the  fairest  place  is  wherever  you  happen  to  be. 
Do  I  make  myself  clear,  dearest  Barbara,  or  shall  I  say 
more  ?  " 

Barbara  tried  to  speak,  but  the  words  would  not  come. 
There  was  no  need  for  speech,  however.  A  light  that 
would  have  made  the  plainest  features  beautiful  stole  over 
her  face.  She  placed  her  little  hand  within  his,  and  by 
that  act  Paul  knew  that  she  was  his  for  ever. 

He  drew  her  to  his  embrace,  where  she  reclined  su 
premely  happy  and  yet  afraid  to  raise  her  eyes  to  his. 

"  Barbara,"  he  whispered,  "  you  have  never  yet  told  me 
the  story  of  your  life.  Will  you  not  do  so  now  ?  " 

There  was  nothing  Barbara  would  not  have  done  to 
please  Paul.  She  was  silent  for  a  few  moments,  as  if 
collecting  her  thoughts,  and  then,  still  within  the  circle  of 
his  arms,  she  began  in  a  voice  as  low  and  silvery  as  if 
coming  from  dreamland. 

"  If  I  have  been  truly  told,  I  was  born  at  Warsaw  in 
1826,  and  shall  therefore  be  nineteen  years  of  age  next 
month. 

"  My  parents  I  never  knew ;  indeed  I  am  even  ignorant 

of  their  names  and  station  in  life.     I  had  been  adopted  in 

infancy  by  a  noble  Polish  lady,  the  Countess  Lorenska, 

—  a  youthful  widow,  who,  although  kindness  itself,  was 

always  mute  to  any  remark  relative  to  my  parentage, 

63 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

though,  as  you  may  guess,  the  question  as  to  my  origin 
troubled  me  but  little  in  those  early  days. 

"  The  Countess  Lorenska  was  very  rich,  her  mansion  at 
Warsaw  a  palace,  and  the  ladies  and  gentlemen  who  at 
tended  her  salons  vied  with  each  other  in  caressing  and 
spoiling  me.  I  had  all  that  wealth  could  supply,  includ 
ing  learned  masters,  under  whose  tuition  I  began  that 
course  of  instruction  which  you  have  characterized  as 
peculiar  for  a  woman. 

"  My  adoptive  mother,  herself  well  educated,  superin 
tended  my  studies,  but  the  lesson  she  seemed  chiefly  de 
sirous  of  inculcating  is  contained  in  almost  the  first 
sentence  I  was  taught  to  utter,  — '  I  will  always  love 
Poland  and  the  Catholic  Church.  I  will  never  cease  to 
oppose  Russia  and  the  Greek  Faith.'  This  vow  was  part 
of  my  prayers  morning  and  evening,  and  such  is  the  force 
of  habit  that  I  still  continue  to  say  it. 

"  As  you  may  suppose,  Polish  history  formed  part,  and 
a  very  important  part,  of  my  curriculum.  My  blood 
glowed  as  I  listened  to  the  story  of  my  country's  wrongs. 
But  indeed  I  did  not  require  the  voice  of  past  history  to 
teach  me  patriotism.  What  was  happening  all  round 
was  sufficient.  I  was  between  five  and  six  years  of  age 
when  the  uprising  at  Warsaw  took  place,  and  the  unjust 
and  terrible  reprisals  exacted  by  the  conquering  Russians 
have  left  an  impression  upon  my  mind  which  no  length 
of  time  can  ever  efface. 

"  The  war  passed,  and  an  era  of  tranquillity,  or  rather 
of  torpor,  followed. 

"  Among  those  who  frequented  the  assemblies  held  by 
the  Countess  Lorenska — assemblies  that  partook  more  of 
a  political  than  of  a  social  character  —  was  a  young  priest 
of  Italian  origin,  named  Pasqual  Ravenna,  who  exercised 
considerable  influence  over  the  mind  of  my  adoptive 
mother,  inasmuch  as  he  was  her  father-confessor. 

"  One  night  during  a  brilliant  entertainment  I  stole  out- 

64 


The  Return  of  the  "  Master  " 

of  the  salle  de  danse  into  the  moonlit  gardens  without,  in 
order  to  avoid  waltzing  with  a  silly  fellow  who  was  my 
special  aversion.  I  secreted  myself  in  a  quiet  arbor.  On 
the  other  side  of  the  shrubbery  two  persons  were  slowly 
pacing  to  and  fro,  and  earnestly  conversing.  I  recognized 
the  voices  of  Countess  Lorenska  and  Father  Ravenna.  I 
had  no  wish  to  hear  what  they  were  saying ;  indeed,  I  was 
too  much  pre-occupied  with  my  would-be  partner,  whom 
I  could  see  through  the  leaves  vainly  trying  to  find  me, 
to  pay  much  attention  to  them,  but  still  fragments  of  their 
dialogue  reached  my  ears. 

' '  She  must  be  removed,'  Ravenna  was  saying ;  '  she 
is  too  near  '  -  -  I  did  not  catch  the  word  —  - '  to  be  safe. 
He  often  visits  Warsaw.  If  she  should  be  seen  and  rec 
ognized  by  him,  our  plan  would  be  frustrated.  Besides, 
she  is  growing.  We  must  take  care  that  she  forms  no 
love-attachment.' 

"  The  countess  laughed. 

; '  How  absurd !     She  is  too  young  for  such  notions.' 
'  She  is  only  twelve,  't  is  true,  but  she  is  more  ad 
vanced  physically  and  mentally  than  most  girls  of  fifteen. 
She  will  be  safer  in  a  convent  till  —  till  —  her  restora 
tion,'  he  added,  as  if  hesitating  for  the  choice  of  a  word. 
'  If  you  say  so,  it  must  be  so,'  said  the  countess  with  a 
sigh,  '  though  it  will  almost  break  my  heart  to  part  with 
her.    Your  instructions  have  been  carried  out  to  the  very 
letter.     She  will  always  be  a  devout  Catholic,  and  patriot 
ically  Polish.' 

; '  So  far  —  good,'  replied  Ravenna. 

"  They  both  moved  off  at  this  point,  and  not  till  then 
did  it  dawn  upon  me  that  they  were  speaking  of  myself. 

"  Next  morning  I  was  summoned  by  the  countess, 
whom  I  found  seated  with  Father  Ravenna. 

"  '  Barbara,'  she  said,  '  you  are  going  to  live  in  a  con 
vent  for  the  next  six  years,  where  you  will  continue  the 
studies  you  have  begun  here.  Father  Ravenna  will  con- 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

duct  you  to  the  convent.  And  do  not  forget  that  if  I 
should  die  he  will  be  your  guardian,  and  you  must  obey 
his  commandments,  however  strange  they  may  appear.' 

"  I  cried  very  much  on  parting  from  my  adoptive 
mother. 

: '  Courage !     It  is  for  the  good  of  Poland,'  said  the 
countess,  as  she  folded  me  in  a  last  embrace. 

"  I  failed  to  understand  how  Poland  could  be  benefited 
by  poor  simple  me,  still  less  how  my  six  years'  residence 
in  a  convent  was  to  accomplish  that  end. 

"  Under  the  conduct  of  Ravenna  I  travelled  southward 
by  easy  stages.  I  began  to  forget  my  grief  in  the  novelty 
of  the  scenes  that  succeeded  each  other.  We  entered 
Dalmatia,  the  country  growing  in  grandeur  and  wildness 
with  every  mile  of  our  journey. 

"  At  last  we  reached  our  destination,  —  the  Convent  of 
the  Holy  Sacrament,  situated  in  an  isolated  valley  amid 
the  loftiest  peaks  of  the  Dinaric  Alps,  —  and  here  Ra 
venna  left  me  after  a  long  conference  with  the  abbess. 

"  My  life  in  the  convent  was  a  very  pleasant  one. 
Being  the  youngest  person  in  the  establishment,  I  became 
a  sort  of  pet  with  the  nuns.  Though  I  took  part  in  the 
devotional  services  of  the  convent,  I  did  not  wear  the  re 
ligious  habit,  nor  did  I  partake  of  the  food  of  the  other 
inmates.  My  fare  was  more  delicate  than  theirs ;  I  wore 
costly  dresses ;  I  had  my  own  dining-chamber  with  a 
nun  to  wait  upon  me.  In  short,  if  I  had  been  a  princess 
they  could  not  have  paid  me  more  deference  and  attention. 

"  My  studies  were  mainly  directed  by  three  monks 
from  a  neighboring  establishment,  one  of  whom,  so  the 
nuns  asserted,  had  been  a  leading  statesman  of  Austria, 
who,  for  some  offence,  had  been  ordered  by  the  Kaiser 
to  retire  to  a  monastery;  be  that  as  it  may,  his  was  a 
mind  well  stored  with  political  knowledge,  and  Metter- 
nich  himself  could  not  have  taught  me  more  of  the  secrets 
of  contemporary  history. 

66 


The  Return  of  the  "  Master  " 

"  My  second  year's  residence  in  the  convent  was  sad 
dened  by  the  tidings  of  the  Countess  Lorenska's  death, 
—  to  me  a  calamity  in  more  ways  than  one,  for  it  made 
Father  Ravenna  my  guardian,  and  him  I  had  always 
viewed  with  secret  dislike,  if  not  with  fear. 

"  Now  that  I  was  growing  older  and  more  thoughtful, 
the  question  as  to  my  parentage  began  to  trouble  me. 
Who  was  I  ?  why  kept  ignorant  of  my  origin  ?  why  put 
to  this  course  of  study  ?  The  abbess  Teresa  averred  that 
all  would  ultimately  be  made  clear  by  my  guardian  Ra 
venna,  who  would  remove  me  from  the  convent  as  soon 
as  I  was  eighteen. 

"  On  the  eve  of  my  eighteenth  birthday  Ravenna  ap 
peared,  no  longer  a  simple  priest.  His  scarlet  robes  and 
the  title  'Your  Eminence/  addressed  to  him  by  the  abbess, 
showed  that  he  had  risen  to  the  dignity  of  a  cardinal. 

"  He  held  an  interview  with  me  in  the  quietude  of  my 
own  apartment.  He  had  not  seen  me  for  six  years,  re 
member,  and  of  course  during  that  time  I  had  grown 
from  girlhood  into  womanhood. 

"  I  noticed  that  as  soon  as  he  had  set  eyes  on  me  he 
gave  a  start.  I  am  certain  that  he  murmured  '  How 
like  ' !  During  the  whole  of  the  interview  he  walked  to 
and  fro,  seemingly  intent  on  studying  my  face  and  figure, 
now  in  one  light,  now  in  another,  conduct  which  very 
much  embarrassed  me. 

'  Know,  my  daughter,'  he  began,  '  that  your  father, 
supposed  by  you  to  be  dead,  is  really  living.' 

"  You  can  imagine  my  surprise  at  this  statement. 
'  Then  why  does  he  not  acknowledge  me  ?  ' 
'  He  has  lived  under  the  belief  that  you  died  as  soon 
as  born.' 

'He  knows  differently  now?' 

'  I  have  informed  him  of  his  error.' 

"  '  And  he  has  sent  you  to  bring  me  to  him  ? '  I  cried 
joyfully. 

67 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

"  '  Alas !  there  's  a  difficulty  at  present  in  the  way  of 
your  meeting  each  other.  Accustomed  for  eighteen  years 
to  regard  you  as  dead,  he  listens  with  scepticism  to  the 
story  that  you  are  living.  Nay,  more,  he  avers  the  state 
ment  to  be  a  conspiracy  on  my  part.'' 

"  '  A  conspiracy ! '  I  repeated  \vonderingly. 
; '  He  has  another  daughter  by  a  second  wife,  your 
half-sister,  of  whom  he  has  grown  passionately  fond. 
You,  as  the  elder,  stand  in  the  light  of  her  interests ; 
whatever  she  thought  herself  entitled  to  now  devolves 
upon  you.  For  this  reason  he  seeks  to  deny  your  rela 
tionship  to  him.' 

'  They  wrong  me  by  such  thoughts,'  I  cried.  '  I  ask 
not  for  wealth,  but  for  affection.' 

'  Tut,  tut,'  returned  the  cardinal.  '  We  have  clear 
proofs  of  your  filiation  and  legitimacy.  We  shall  compel 
him  to  acknowledge  you.  You  shall  not  be  deprived  of 
your  rights.' 

' '  How  came  my  father  to  think  me  dead  ? ' 

"  '  I  believe  I  am  responsible  for  that  error,'  he  said, 
with  a  smile  that  told  me  some  interested  motive  lay  at 
the  root  of  his  deception. 

"  I  was  unable  to  control  my  indignation. 

"  '  You !  '  I  cried.  '  A  holy  cardinal  the  author  of  a 
falsehood  that  has  separated  a  father  from  his  daughter 
for  eighteen  years,  and  that  will  perhaps  keep  them  apart 
forever!  I  honor  my  father  for  his  present  distrust  of 
you.  If  you  lied  to  him  in  my  infancy,  what  wonder  that 
he  should  deem  you  to  be  lying  now  ? ' 

"  The  cardinal  waved  his  hand  deprecatingly. 

"  '  The  end  sanctifies  the  means,  and  my  end  is  a  noble 
one.' 

"  Curiosity  overcame  my  anger.  Despite  my  aversion 
to  the  cardinal,  I  could  not  refrain  from  plying  him  with 
questions ;  the  names  of  my  father  and  my  sister ;  their 
station  in  life;  their  abode,  and  the  like. 

68 


The  Return  of  the  "  Master  " 

"  But  Cardinal  Ravenna  remained  inflexibly  uncom 
municative.  It  was  in  vain  that  I  knelt  before  him,  and 
with  tears  entreated  that  he  would  let  me  see  my  father 
and  sister  face  to  face. 

'  My  presence  may  move  them/  I  said. 
'  Your  presence,  my  daughter,   would  create  confu 
sion/  he  said  coldly.     '  Leave  to  me  the  task  of  winning 
for  you  a  splendid  heritage.     Till  then  you  must  remain 
in  this  convent.' 

"  And  with  that  Ravenna  took  his  departure. 

'  The  new  knowledge  imparted  by  the  cardinal  contrib 
uted  rather  to  embitter  than  to  cheer  my  life.  It  was  not 
a  pleasant  reflection  that  somewhere  in  the  world  I  had 
both  father  and  sister  who  had  never  seen  me,  and  who, 
apparently,  had  no  desire  to  see  me. 

"  For  this  state  of  affairs  the  cardinal,  according  to  his 
own  statement,  was  responsible,  and  I  hated  him  for  it. 
He  cared  nothing  for  the  feelings  of  parent  and  child ; 
his  only  object  in  bringing  the  two  together  was  to  ad 
vance  his  own  interests ;  he  would  exact  a  price  both 
from  the  father  and  from  the  new  daughter. 

"  I  resolved  to  cast  off  the  self-constituted  guardian 
ship  of  Cardinal  Ravenna.  I  would  quit  the  convent, 
and,  making  my  way  to  Warsaw,  endeavor  to  discover 
the  friends  of  my  girlhood. 

"  But  when  I  conferred  with  Abbess  Teresa  she  told 
me  kindly,  yet  firmly,  that  this  could  not  be ;  the  cardinal 
had  left  strict  orders  that  I  must  be  detained  till  his 
return. 

"  From  that  time  my  freedom  ceased.  The  walks 
which  I  had  been  accustomed  to  take  outside  the  con 
vent  in  the  company  of  two  attendant  nuns  were  stopped. 
The  cloister  gardens  were  open  to  me ;  once  I  had 
deemed  them  spacious,  now  they  seemed  very  narrow. 
Though  treated  kindly  in  other  ways  I  knew  myself  to 
be  a  prisoner  watched  bv  innumerable  eyes. 

69 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

"  The  cardinal  came  not  to  release  me.  And  thus  eight 
months  passed,  —  the  most  melancholy  time  I  had  ever 
known. 

"  At  last  the  porter,  Bulgar,  with  whom  I  had  always 
been  a  favorite,  listened  to  my  pleading,  and  one  dark 
night,  by  preconcerted  arrangement  with  me,  he  left  the 
convent-gate  unlocked,  and  I  stole  forth. 

"  But  my  flight  might  soon  be  intercepted.  A  few  miles 
to  the  north  of  the  convent,  on  the  Bosnian  frontier,  is  a 
fortress  garrisoned  by  Austrian  troops.  I  remembered 
that  once  when  a  poor  nun  longing  for  her  freedom 
again,  had  run  away,  the  Abbess  had  obtained  aid  from 
this  fortress.  The  commandant  sent  out  a  troop,  which, 
scouring  the  country  around,  returned  with  the  fugitive 
after  a  three  days'  search.  Devoted  to  the  cardinal's  in 
terests,  Abbess  Teresa  would  certainly  make  a  similar 
requisition  in  my  case. 

"  Still  I  had  the  advantage  of  several  hours'  start,  and, 
trusting  to  heaven  for  aid,  I  fled  onward  through  the 
darkness.  Zara,  sixty  miles  to  the  northwest,  was  the 
haven  of  my  desires.  For  two  days  I  journeyed  on  foot, 
sleeping  the  first  night  in  the  woods. 

"At  the  end  of  the  second  day — but  you  know  the  rest. 

"  O  Paul,"  she  murmured,  with  a  soft  pressure  of  her 
arms,  "  whom  have  I  in  the  world  but  you  ?  And  to 
think  that  I  at  first  repulsed  you  when  you  met  me  that 
night  in  the  wood !  " 

And  here  Barbara,  having  finished  her  story,  looked 
up  at  Paul. 

"  Why  so  grave?  "  she  asked,  with  a  smile  that  masked 
a  certain  misgiving  on  her  part. 

"  In  the  very  act  of  asking  you  to  be  my  wife,  Barbara, 
I  feel  compelled  to  pause.  Your  story  is  so  suggestive. 
Supposing  you  should  prove  to  be  a  rich  heiress,  or  a 
peeress,  or,"  he  continued,  his  mind  reverting  to  the  por 
trait  of  the  lady  with  the  diadem,  "  shall  we  ascend 

70 


The  Return  of  the  "  Master  " 

higher,  and  say  a  princess  ?  —  you  will  make  a  mesalli 
ance  by  marrying  one  who  has  nothing  but  a  cloak  and 
a  sword." 

"  Dreams,  Paul,  dreams." 

"  Nay,  the  interest  taken  in  you  by  the  cardinal  proves 
that  you  are  a  person  either  of  rank  or  wealth,  or  possibly 
both." 

"  I  place  no  faith  in  the  cardinal's  story.  Doubtless, 
there  does  exist  somewhere  a  rich  Polish  noble,  whose 
infant  daughter  was  lost  or  stolen  away  eighteen  or  nine 
teen  years  ago,  but  I  do  not  believe  that  I  am  she,  though 
Ravenna  would  have  me  play  the  role  of  the  missing 
heiress.  But  even  if  I  were  an  empress  — 

Here  Barbara  paused  in  her  utterance. 

"  Yes ;   if  you  were  an  empress  —  ?  " 

"  Cannot  you  guess  the  rest  ?  " 

"  You  would  be  my  wife.     Is  that  so,  Barbara?  " 

"  Yes,  Paul,'7  she  replied,  simply.     "  None  but  you." 

Paul  raised  her  beautiful  face  upward  to  his  own,  and 
looked  down  into  the  light  of  her  dark  eyes. 

"  Barbara,  I  have  loved  you  from  the  first  moment  of 
seeing  you." 

Barbara  could  not  truthfully  say  that  her  love  had 
begun  so  early.  The  knowledge  of  it  had  come  upon  her 
perhaps  a  month  ago. 

"I  wish  I  had  known  it.  A  month  ago!"  he  added 
ruefully.  "  Just  think  of  the  kisses  I  have  missed !  " 

"  Nothing  prevents  you,  Paul,  from  repairing  lost 
opportunities." 

Who  could  have  resisted  the  witchery  of  those  lips 
raised  so  temptingly  at  that  moment?  Not  Paul, 
certainly. 

The  dusk  of  twilight  was  stealing  over  the  island. 
The  stars  were  beginning  to  glimmer  through  the  violet 
air  above. 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

"  It  is  time  to  return,"  said  Paul,  leading  Barbara 
towards  the  boat. 

"  The  mantilla !  "  she  exclaimed,  suddenly  stopping 
short  in  her  walk.  "  I  left  it  in  the  ruins.  I  must  go 
back  for  it,  since  it  is  Jacintha's.  And  my  diamond 
brooch  is  fastened  to  it." 

"  You  are  tired,  Barbara.  Remain  here.  I  will  fetch 
it." 

"  Do  not  be  long." 

"  Can  you  not  bear  a  parting  of  five  minutes  ?  "  he 
asked  with  a  smile. 

"  One  minute  is  too  long,  Paul." 

Seating  Barbara  upon  a  fragment  of  rock,  Paul  has 
tened  over  the  grassy  upland  in  the  direction  of  the  classic 
ruin,  which  was  distant  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from 
the  shore. 

At  the  edge  of  a  small  wood  that  intervened  between 
himself  and  the  temple,  he  paused  for  a  moment  to  listen 
to  Barbara,  who  was  singing  in  a  sweet  plaintive  voice 
the  hymn  to  the  Virgin  accustomed  to  be  sung  in  her 
convent  at  vesper  hour. 

"  Fading,  still  fading,  the  last  beam  is  shining. 
Ave  Maria!  day  is  declining: 
Safety  and  innocence  fly  with  the  light : 
Temptation  and  danger  walk  forth  with  the  night : 
From  the  fall  of  the  shade  till  the  matin  shall  chime 
Shield  us  from  peril,  and  save  us  from  crime. 
Ave  Maria,  audi  nos  !  " 

She  formed  a  pretty  picture  as  she  sat  there  alone  by 
the  dusky-blue  sea  in  the  faint  starlight,  her  dainty  white- 
robed  figure  clearly  outlined  against  the  black  rock. 

"  I  'm  the  luckiest  mortal  living,"  muttered  Paul.  "  By 
heaven !  won't  the  fellows  be  dumb  with  surprise  and  envy 
when  I  mount  the  jetty-stairs  at  Corfu  with  Barbara  upon 
my  arm !  And  as  for  uncle,  always  an  admirer  of  the 
ladies,  he  '11  fairly  worship  her." 

72 


The  Return  of  the  "  Master  " 

He  pictured  Colonel  Graysteel's  look  of  admiration, 
and  caught  his  whispered  aside :  "  By  Jove,  Paul, 
where  did  you  find  this  lovely  vestal?  Lucky  dog!  no 
wonder  you  have  stayed  away  so  long !  " 

Barbara  had  followed  Paul  with  her  eyes,  and  now,  on 
seeing  him  pause,  she  waved  her  hand  prettily,  while  he, 
like  a  gallant  lover,  waved  his  in  turn.  Then,  eager  to 
despatch  his  quest  and  to  return  to  her,  he  plunged  into 
the  wood,  and  Barbara  was  lost  to  view. 

On  reaching  the  temple,  Paul  quickly  found  the  man 
tilla,  but  the  brooch  which  should  have  been  attached  to 
it  was  missing.  As  the  ornament  was  a  valuable  one  he 
did  not  like  to  return  without  it,  and  he  therefore  began 
a  search  in  the  fading  light. 

Having  spent  ten  minutes  without  success,  he  resolved 
to  quit  the  task  lest  Barbara,  sitting  by  the  lonely  shore, 
should  become  nervous  at  his  long  delay. 

As  he  rose  to  his  feet  he  looked  upward,  and  found 
that  the  stars  were  invisible.  A  white  mist  like  a  ghost 
was  floating  over  the  isle. 

Snatching  up  the  mantilla,  he  dashed  down  through 
the  woodland,  and,  but  for  the  murmur  of  the  sea,  which 
served  to  direct  his  course,  he  would  most  certainly  have 
missed  his  way. 

As  he  drew  near  to  the  beach  he  called  upon  Barbara 
by  name,  but  received  no  answer.  This  was  puzzling,  in 
asmuch  as  he  was  near  the  place  where  he  had  left  her. 
Near?  He  was  at  the  exact  spot.  There  was  the  crag 
upon  which  she  had  been  seated  a  few  minutes  previously, 
but  of  Barbara  herself  not  a  trace  was  visible. 

Vainly  did  his  eyes  seek  to  pierce  the  veil  of  mist  that 
hung  around ;  every  object  more  than  a  few  feet  distant 
was  hidden  from  view. 

The  melancholy  lapping  of  the  waves  over  the  sand  was 
the  only  sound  that  broke  the  stillness. 

Where  was  Barbara  ?  Ah !  alarmed  perhaps  by  the 

73 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

mist  and  by  his  long  absence,  she  had  left  the  shore  to 
seek  him,  and  had  missed  her  way  to  the  ruin.  He  would 
go  back  at  once  and  find  her. 

He  had  just  turned  to  retrace  his  steps,  when  suddenly 
from  out  the  mist  that  overhung  the  sea  there  came  a 
strange  voice,  — 

"  All  ready  f    Give  way,  then.     To  Castcl  Nuovo!" 

The  words  were  immediately  followed  by  the  dip  and 
roll  of  oars,  —  sounds  that  sent  a  thrill  of  horror  through 
Paul's  heart.  In  one  swift  moment  he  realized  what  was 
happening. 

The  Austrian  gendarmerie  sent  by  the  .convent  authori 
ties  had  come  at  last !  Come  ?  ay,  and  were  going  with 
their  purpose  accomplished ! 

Barbara,  silent,  perhaps  because  in  a  swoon,  was  in  the 
hands'  of  enemies  who  were  carrying  her  off,  and  though 
her  captors  were  but  a  few  yards  distant,  he  was  unable 
to  render  her  any  aid.  The  suddenness,  the  stillness,  the 
mysteriousness  of  it  all  was  more  appalling  than  the  act 
of  abduction  itself. 

Half-an-hour  had  not  yet  elapsed  since  Barbara  had 
pressed  her  glowing  lips  to  his.  And  now  —  and  now 
—  was  ever  lover's  dream  cut  short  so  awfully  and 
abruptly  as  this? 

"  Barbara !  Barbara !  "  he  cried  in  agony.  "  If  you  are 
there,  speak." 

Was  he  mistaken,  or  did  he  really  hear  his  own  name 
pronounced  by  a  voice  faintly  sounding,  as  if  the  speaker's 
head  were  muffled  within  the  folds  of  a  cloak? 

Following  his  first  impulse,  he  dashed  into  the  sea 
towards  the  point  whence  came  the  sound  of  the  oars. 
Like  a  madman  he  leaped  and  plunged  forward  through 
mist  and  water  with  the  desire  of  arresting  the  progress 
of  the  receding  boat.  Vain  hope!  He  did  not  even  ob 
tain  a  glimpse  of  the  boat,  much  less  come  up  with  it. 

Not  till  the  water  surged  breast-high  around  him  did 

74 


The  Return  of  the  "  Master  " 

he  pause,  and  then  he  stood  mechanically  listening  to  the 
sound  of  the  oar-sweep  as  it  died  away  in  the  distance. 

Recovering  from  his  stupor  he  waded  back  to  land,  and 
sought  the  place  where  he  had  left  his  own  boat. 

It  was  gone ! 

It  had  either  been  taken  in  tow  by  Barbara's  captors, 
or  cast  adrift  in  order  to  prevent  him  from  giving  trouble 
by  following  them. 

The  island  had  become  his  prison,  inasmuch  as  he  had 
no  way  of  crossing  to  the  mainland  except  by  swimming, 
and  though  he  might  not  have  shrunk  from  a  three-mile 
course  in  smooth  water,  the  same  distance  across  a  sea- 
channel  traversed  by  currents  and  covered  by  a  thick  fog 
was  a  very  different  matter. 

Though  every  moment  of  detention  diminished  his 
hope  of  effecting  Barbara's  rescue,  yet  here  he  was,  ab 
solutely  helpless,  dependent  for  his  release  upon  the 
chance  passing  of  some  fishing-boat. 

He  did  not  doubt  —  he  could  not  doubt  —  that  the  ab 
duction  of  Barbara  was  the  work  of  Cardinal  Ravenna, 
who  had  probably  been  apprised  by  Abbess  Teresa  of 
the  flight  of  his  youthful  protege.  It  was  not  likely  that 
he  would  restore  her  to  the  Convent  of  the  Holy  Sacra 
ment  ;  some  more  secure  establishment  would  be  chosen, 
and,  when  Barbara  was  once  immured  by  the  authority 
of  a  powerful  ecclesiastic,  it  would  be  difficult,  if  not  im 
possible,  to  reach  her.  The  only  consoling  feature  in 
this  dark  affair  was  that  the  success  of  the  cardinal's 
scheme,  whatever  its  character,  hung  upon  Barbara's 
life;  so  far  she  was  safe,  but  the  thought  of  the  suffer 
ings  to  which  she  might  be  subjected,  in  order  to  extort 
submission,  drove  Paul's  mind  to  the  verge  of  frenzy. 

At  midnight  the  mist  began  to  lift  almost  as  suddenly 
as  it  had  come  on.  The  whole  blue  arch  of  heaven  be 
came  revealed.  The  moon  was  now  at  its  full,  and  the 
cold,  pallid  light  shone  over  the  island  with  its  dark 

75 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

woods,  and   its   ivory-white  temple  on  the  hill-top,   the 
fallen  shrine  of  love. 

Paul  mounted  this  hill  and  glanced  over  the  sea  in  all 
directions ;  but  his  hope  of  seeing  some  barque  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  isle  was  immediately  extinguished.  Not 
a  sail  was  visible. 

He  had  brought  to  the  island  a  pair  of  field-glasses, 
and  these  he  now  directed  over  the  channel  that  separated 
him  from  the  Dalmatian  mainland.  The  light  was  insuf 
ficient  for  the  taking  of  distant  observations ;  neverthe 
less,  he  came  to  the  conclusion  that  a  tiny  light  visible 
at  a  certain  point  on  the  coast  marked  the  position  of 
Castel  Nuovo;  and,  aware  that  Barbara's  captors  must 
long  ere  this  have  reached  their  destination,  this  light 
became  an  object  of  deep  interest.  Without  any  reason 
whatever  to  guide  him,  he  took  up  the  belief  that  it 
marked  the  room  in  which  she  was  detained  for  the 
night,  and  impressed  by  this  fancy,  he  kept  his  eyes  fixed 
upon  it  as  wistfully  as  if  it  were  the  face  of  Barbara 
herself. 

Suddenly  the  light  vanished. 

A  very  simple  occurrence,  and  yet  Paul  had  no  sooner 
noted  it  than  there  came  over  him  a  trembling  and  a 
horror  as  great  as  if  the  extinction  of  that  light  had  like 
wise  involved  the  extinction  of  Barbara. 

His  mind  was  either  playing  him  strange  tricks,  or  else 
his  hearing  had  become  more  than  ordinarily  acute. 
Sounds  on  the  opposite  coast  seemed  close  at  hand,  — 
sounds  of  an  eerie  character. 

The  deep  silence  of  the  night  was  first  broken  by  the 
fitful  ringing  of  church  bells;  immediately  afterwards 
came  a  series  of  reverberations  which  Paul  could  com 
pare  only  with  the  rattling  echoes  produced  by  the  dis 
charge  of  artillery  among  lofty  hills ;  and  next  there 
floated  over  the  sea  a  prolonged  cry  like  the  wild  shriek 
of  some  captured  town. 

76 


The  Return  of  the  "Master" 

Then  all  was  still  again. 

What  had  happened  along  that  moonlit  coast? 

Night  waned.  Morning  dawned  with  all  the  fair 
golden  glory  of  that  southern  clime. 

On  the  shore  of  Isola  Sacra  stood  a  man,  his  gaze  fixed 
eastward  as  it  had  been  fixed  ever  since  the  growing  light 
had  enabled  him  to  perceive  distant  objects  with  any  de 
gree  of  distinctness. 

The  British  regiment  at  Corfu  would  have  failed  to 
recognize  their  captain  in  this  man  with  his  wild  air, 
blood-shot  eyes,  and  haggard  face  staring  continually 
over  the  sea. 

For  the  twentieth  time  his  shaking  hands  raised  the 
field-glasses. 

Whenever  he  turned  the  binoculars  to  that  point  of 
coast  where  Castel  Xuovo  should  have  been,  he  found 
that  Castel  Nuovo  was  not  there.  Focus  the  glasses  as 
he  would,  he  could  not  detect  a  trace  of  the  edifice.  The 
blue  sea  seemed  to  be  rolling  over  the  site! 

In  like  manner  other  landmarks  along  the  coast  had 
disappeared,  notably  a  white  lighthouse  a  few  miles  to  the 
north  of  Castel  Nuovo.  The  mountains,  too,  seemed  to 
present  an  outline  differing  from  that  of  the  previous  day. 

Then  the  truth  in  all  its  ghastliness  broke  upon  Paul, 
and,  strong  man  though  he  was,  he  dropped  upon  the 
sands  as  one  dead. 

The  explanation  was   simple  and  terrible. 

During  the  night  an  earthquake  had  devastated  the 
coast  of  Dalmatia ;  towns  had  been  laid  in  ruins ;  scores 
of  people  had  perished ;  and,  among  a  crowd  of  minor 
catastrophes  enumerated  by  the  "  Zara  Times  "  of  that 
week,  was  the  complete  submergence  of  a  picturesque 
edifice,  erected  in  the  fourteenth  century  by  the  Doge 
Marino  Faliero,  and  known  by  the  name  of  Castel 
Nuovo ! 

77 


THE    STORY 

CHAPTER  I 

TWO    YEARS    AFTERWARDS 

"TT   TTERE  'S   to  the   Princess   of   Czernova!"   cried 

I 1    Noel  Trevisa,  —  a  dark-eyed,  handsome  young 

A  JL  fellow, — raising  his  glass  as  he  spoke.  "Have 
you  seen  her  yet,  Paul  ?  " 

Captain  Cressingham,  or  to  use  the  new  name  assumed 
by  him  on  the  death  of  a  relative,  Captain  Woodville, 
smiled  at  the  enthusiasm  with  which  his  friend  proposed 
the  toast. 

"  I  entered  Slavowitz  only  last  evening,"  he  replied, 
"  and  have  already  been  asked  that  question  six  times. 
It  seems  to  be  the  first  one  put  to  a  visitor." 

"  And  when  you  have  seen  her  you  will  cease  to  wonder 
at  the  pride  of  the  Czernovese  in  their  princess.  Natalie 
Lilieska  is  more  than  beautiful,  —  she  is  Beauty's  self." 

This  interchange  took  place  on  an  elevated  balcony  of 
the  Hotel  de  Varsovie,  the  principal  establishment  of  its 
kind  in  Slavowitz,  the  picturesque  capital  of  the  old 
Polish  principality  of  Czernova. 

Between  Paul  and  his  companion  stood  a  marble- 
topped  table  decorated  with  a  bottle  of  Chartreuse  and  a 
box  of  cigars,  and  in  the  quiet  enjoyment  of  these  lux 
uries  the  two  Englishmen  yielded  themselves  to  lazy 
abandon  in  the  soft  sunshine  of  a  spring  morning,  watch 
ing  the  gay  current  of  Czernovese  life  as  it  flowed  along 
the  boulevard  beneath  their  feet. 

78 


Two  Years  Afterwards 

Two  years  had  elapsed  since  the  night  when  Barbara 
had  been  carried  off  to  perish,  as  Paul  believed,  in  the 
engulfing  of  Castel  Nuovo. 

A  fishing-barque  passing  by  next  morning  had  taken 
Paul  from  the  island;  its  arrival  was  timely,  for  the 
vessel  had  scarcely  gone  half-a-mile  when  the  sea  be 
came  violently  agitated,  and  Isola  Sacra  itself  disap 
peared  beneath  the  waves.  The  frightened  fishermen, 
perceiving  that  the  force  of  the  earthquake  was  not  yet 
spent,  refused  to  put  in  on  the  Dalmatian  coast,  believ 
ing  it  to  be  safer  on  water  than  on  land.  For  four-and- 
twenty  hours  they  kept  out  on  the  deep,  disembarking 
only  when  they  deemed  the  peril  past. 

The  moment  Paul  touched  land  he  made  his  way  to 
the  vicinity  of  Castel  Nuovo,  and  found  its  site  covered 
by  the  sea.  Must  he  believe  that  the  last  resting-place 
of  Barbara  was  fathoms  deep  below  these  waves?  He 
rowed  to  and  fro  over  the  spot,  peering  through  the 
singularly  transparent  water,  and  sometimes  fancying 
that  he  could  discern  the  ghostly  outline  of  towers  and 
battlements. 

Had  Barbara  really  been  lodged  at  Castel  Nuovo  dur 
ing  the  night  of  the  earthquake,  or  at  some  other  place  ? 

Inquiries  carried  on  by  him  within  a  wide  area  around 
Castel  Nuovo  yielded  no  tidings  as  to  the  missing  maiden. 
Barbara,  Jacintha,  Lambro,  were  like  the  shadows  of  a 
past  dream. 

Blank  despair  settled  upon  Paul.  Life  seemed  scarcely 
worth  living. 

Then  came  news  that  the  British  troops  stationed  at 
Corfu  had  been  ordered  to  India  to  suppress  a  rising 
among  the  hill-tribes  of  the  frontier. 

Paul,  whose  first  impulse  had  been  to  resign  his  com 
mission,  now  decided  to  accompany  his  regiment  lest  his 
retirement  on  the  eve  of  war  should  be  attributed  to  a 
spirit  of  cowardice.  The  fierce  thrill  of  fighting  might 

79 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

help  to  drown  the  memory  of  Barbara  —  for  a  time. 
And  since  life  without  her  was  hard  to  bear,  he  cher 
ished  the  hope  that  an  Afghan  spear  might  give  him  the 
death  he  desired. 

On  his  arrival  at  Corfu,  Paul  learned  that,  owing  to 
the  death  of  a  wealthy  aunt,  he  was  now  master  of  con 
siderable  landed  property  in  Kent,  subject  to  the  con 
dition  that  he  should  assume  his  relative's  name  of 
Woodville.  Paul  mechanically  acquiesced,  and  was 
henceforth  gazetted  as  "  Captain  Woodville/' 

"  Cressingham  or  Woodville,  what  matters  ?  "  he  said. 
"  Soon  to  be  a  little  dust,  I  hope." 

This  legal  formality  over,  he  hurried  off  to  India. 

In  the  campaign  that  followed  he  did  not  die ;  on  the 
contrary,  he  lived  to  gain  a  brilliant  reputation, — a  repu 
tation  destined,  though  he  foresaw  it  not,  to  stand  him 
in  good  stead  during  a  political  crisis  of  the  future. 

In  a  small  border-fortress  he  found  himself  one  of  a 
garrison  of  four  hundred  men  besieged  by  an  Afghan 
force  twenty  times  its  own  number. 

It  was  winter,  and  the  mountain-passes  were  filled  with 
snow. 

Weeks  must  elapse  ere  relief  could  come.  Scantily 
provided  with  artillery,  their  provisions  running  out, 
sleepless  from  incessant  attacks,  the  heroic  little  band 
kept  grimly  to  the  work. 

Early  in  the  siege  the  major  in  command,  with  two  or 
three  officers,  yielding  to  a  spirit  of  fear  strange  in 
English  soldiers,  proposed  in  council  an  unconditional 
surrender. 

"  We  were  sent  here,"  said  Paul,  darkly  and  haughtily, 
"  to  hold  the  fortress,  not  to  cede  it.  If  you  do  not  know 
your  duty,  Major,  there  are  those  who  will  teach  it  you. 
I  will  shoot  the  first  man  that  talks  again  of  surrender, 
be  he  commandant  9r  be  he  private." 

And  without  delay  Paul  took  strong  measures.  He 

80 


Two  Years  Afterwards 

put  his  own  superior,  together  with  the  recreant  officers, 
under  arrest,  and  he  himself  took  the  command.  Upon 
this  there  arose  from  the  garrison,  when  informed  of 
what  had  taken  place,  a  ringing  British  cheer  that  startled 
the  enemy  in  their  distant  entrenchments. 

Paul  henceforth  was  the  soul  of  the  fight,  —  at  the 
head  of  every  sortie,  charging  the  enemy  regardless  of 
their  number.  The  garrison  attributed  his  conduct  to 
sheer  devilry ;  it  was,  in  truth,  the  despairing  mood  of 
a  man  bent  on  finding  death. 

Ever  amid  the  clash  of  arms  he  seemed  to  see  before 
him  the  beautiful  face  of  her  whom  he  had  lost,  and 
scarcely  conscious  of  the  fact,  he  would  cry  "  Barbara ! 
Barbara !  "  to  the  bewilderment  of  his  men.  The  wild 
Afghans  shrank  back  in  dismay  whenever  the  "  Fering- 
hee  devil  "  turned  his  dripping  sabre  in  their  direction, 
deeming  the  "  bar-bar-a  "  uttered  by  him  to  be  a  magic 
spell  capable  of  dealing  death  around. 

When  at  last  the  long-desired  relief  came,  and  the 
story  of  the  heroic  defence  of  Tajapore  became  known 
to  the  world,  Paul  found  that  he  had  unintentionally  be 
come  a  famous  person. 

At  the  end  of  his  second  year  in  India  Paul  made  a 
remarkable  discovery. 

Up  till  that  time  he  had  entertained  the  belief  that 
Cardinal  Ravenna  had  perished  in  the  Dalmatian  earth 
quake,  though  strange  as  it  may  appear,  he  had  not 
thought  of  putting  his  opinion  to  the  proof  by  ascertain 
ing  whether  the  Sacred  College  had  actually  lost  a  mem 
ber  in  the  year  '45.  However,  being  in  the  club-room 
at  Poonah  one  day,  he  happened  to  be  glancing  over  a 
continental  newspaper,  when  his  eye  was  caught  by  the 
following  paragraph,  — 

"  The  Pope  has  been  pleased  to  appoint  Cardinal  Ra 
venna  to  the  archiepiscopal  see  of  Slavowitz." 

Paul  laid  down  the  paper  trembling  with  new  hope. 
6  81 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

If  the  cardinal  had  survived  the  earthquake,  why  should 
not  Barbara  likewise?  Could  it  be  that  she  was  really 
alive  ? 

Till  that  moment  Paul  had  been  ignorant  of  try;  name 
of  Slavowitz,  but  a  reference  to  a  dictionary  of  geog 
raphy  informed  him  that  it  was  the  capital  of  Czer- 
nova,  the  latter  being  a  small  independent  state  on  the 
borders  of  Austria  and  Russia. 

He  resolved  to  set  off  immediately  for  this  principality, 
for  the  purpose  of  interviewing  the  dark-dealing  cardinal 
in  whose  breast  was  contained  the  secret  of  Barbara's 
history. 

Two  years'  assiduous  attention  to  duty  easily  earned  for 
Paul  a  long  furlough.  He  quitted  India,  arrived  at 
Alexandria,  and  took  ship  for  Constantinople;  thence 
travelling  post-haste  day  and  night  he  threaded  the  passes 
of  the  Balkans,  crossed  the  Danube,  traversed  the  forests 
of  the  Carpathians,  and  finally  arrived  at  Slavowitz  late 
at  night,  where  he  was  much  disappointed  to  learn  that 
the  new  archbishop  was  absent  from  his  see,  having  gone 
on  a  journey  to  Rome,  his  return,  however,  being  daily 
expected. 

Paul  determined  to  await  his  coming. 

On  this,  his  first  morning  at  Slavowitz,  while  gazing 
from  the  balcony  of  his  hotel,  he  caught  sight  of  an  old 
college  chum  in  the  person  of  Noel  Trevisa. 

Paul  immediately  cried  to  him  by  name,  and  in  a  mo 
ment  more  the  two  friends  were  sitting  together  renew 
ing  old  memories ;  and  great  were  Trevisa's  surprise  and 
admiration  on  learning  that  the  Captain  Woodville  whose 
name  had  become  familiar  to  all  Europe,  was  the  same  as 
his  old  friend,  Paul  Cressingham. 

"And  what  has  brought  you  to  this  city?"  inquired 
Paul,  when  the  other  had  drunk  his  toast  to  the  fair 
ruler  of  Czernova. 

"  This  city  is  my  adopted  home.  Formerly  professor 

82 


Two  Years  Afterwards 

of  English  at  the  university  of  Slavowitz,  I  am  now 
private  secretary  to  the  loveliest  princess  in  Europe,  and 
occupy  a  suite  of  apartments  in  the  palace." 

"  Accept  my  congratulations.  How  did  you,  a  for 
eigner  here,  obtain  the  post  ?  " 

"  Thaddeus  the   Good  —  " 

"  Who  is  he  ?  " 

"  Was,  my  dear  fellow  —  • '  was  '  is  the  word,  inasmuch 
as  he  is  no  more  —  the  late  Prince  of  Czernova,  her 
Highness's  father.  He  died  six  months  ago." 

"  I   understand.      Proceed." 

"  Prince  Thaddeus,  about  two  years  ago,  offered  me 
the  post  of  tutor  to  his  daughter  Natalie.  I  was  to 
instruct  her  in  English  Literature  and  English  Constitu 
tional  History.  Naturally  I  did  not  refuse  so  charming 
a  student.  When  a  few  months  later  her  secretary  re 
signed  through  ill-health,  the  princess  installed  me  in  his 
place,  where  I  am  proud  to  be.  I  wish  I  could  persuade 
you  too,  Paul,  to  take  service  under  her  Highness." 

"What!  Accept  command  in  a  toy  army  destined 
never  to  smell  powder!  All  thanks  to  you,  Noel,  but  I 
prefer  to  remain  with  the  old  Twenty-fourth." 

'  That 's  a  pity,  for  the  princess  is  very  desirous  of 
officering  her  army  with  men  experienced  in  warfare. 
And  of  all  nationalities  she  seems  to  prefer  the  English. 
On  her  return  from  Dalmatia  — ' 

"From  where?"   interrupted   Paul,   sharply. 

"  From  Dalmatia.  Why  should  n't  she  go  there  ?  " 
retorted  Trevisa,  aggressively. 

"  Why  not,  indeed  ?  And  how  long  is  it  since  she 
returned  from  Dalmatia  ?  " 

"  About   two   years." 

"  Ha!    proceed." 

Paul's  strange  manner  led  Trevisa  to  wonder  whether 
his  head  had  not  become  affected  by  his  two  years'  resi 
dence  in  the  tropics. 

83 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

"  Well,  as  I  was  about  to  say,  after  her  return  from 
Dalmatia,  one  of  the  first  acts  of  the  princess  was  to 
appoint  a  new  uniform  for  her  body-guard.  Accordingly 
sketches  of  the  various  costumes  worn  in  the  different 
European  armies  were  laid  before  her.  You,  my  dear 
Paul,  ought  to  feel  honored  by  her  selection." 

"Why   so?" 

"  Because  the  uniform  she  chose  is  one  so  like  your 
own  that  for  my  part  I  fail  to  detect  the  difference.  As 
you  walk  through  the  streets  of  Slavowitz  you  will  cer 
tainly  be  taken  for  one  of  her  corps  du  garde,  known  as 
the  Blue  Legion." 

A  strange  suspicion  entered  Paul's  mind. 

"How  old   is  the   Princess   Natalie?" 

"  She  celebrated  her  nineteenth  birthday  last  week." 

"  Barbara,  if  she  were  living,  would  be  twenty-one  by 
this  time,"  murmured  Paul  to  himself;  and  then  aloud 
he  added :  "  And  you  say  that  the  princess  is  very 
beautiful  ?  " 

"  Be  thyself  the  judge,"  smiled  Trevisa.  "  Within  a 
quarter  of  an  hour  from  now  she  will  pass  along  this 
boulevard  on  her  way  to  the  Mazeppa  Gardens.  From 
the  balcony  here  you  will  have  a  good  view  of  her." 

"Haven't  you  her  portrait  upon  you?" 

"At  present  I  have  with  me  no  other  likeness  than  this." 

And  here  Trevisa  drew  forth  a  gold-piece,  bright  as 
if  fresh  from  the  mint. 

"  The  new  coinage,  issued  this  \veek.  Reverse  —  the 
double-headed  eagle,  the  ancient  arms  of  Poland.  Ob 
verse  —  the  profile  of  the  princess  with  the  legend  '  Na 
talia,  Princeps  Czern.  Amat.  Pair.'  '  Natalie,  Princess 
of  Czernova,  Lover  of  her  Country.'  Did  the  goddess 
Athene  carry  a  more  dainty  head  than  this  ?  " 

Paul  took  the  coin,  glanced  at  the  obverse,  and  then 
sat  in  a  state  wavering  between  belief  and  unbelief. 

Was  this  golden  disc  really  stamped  with  the  head  of 

84 


Two  Years  Afterwards 

Barbara?  So  it  seemed  to  Paul.  At  any  rate,  if  her 
profile  had  been  engraved  on  metal  with  due  regard  to 
fidelity,  it  would  have  differed  little  or  nothing  from 
that  on  the  coin. 

Then  a  new  idea  seized  him,  and  one  more  consonant 
with  probability.  Was  this  the  profile  of  the  maiden 
whose  portrait  he  had  seen  in  the  cardinal's  secret  study 
at  Castel  Nuovo  —  the  maiden  with  the  laughing  eyes, 
the  sceptre  and  the  diadem? 

"  A  graceful  head,  a  very  graceful  head,"  he  remarked, 
returning  the  coin.  "  I  should  like  to  hear  more  of  the 
fair  lady." 

"  As  many  questions  as  you  please." 

"  First,  where  did  the  Princess  Natalie  pass  her  child 
hood  and  youth  ?  " 

"  Here  in  the  city  of  Slavowitz  and  its  vicinity.  Of 
course  she  has  had  her  travels  like  the  rest  of  us,  and 
has  visited  different  European  countries,  but,  speaking 
generally,  she  was  reared  and  educated  in  the  Vistula 
Palace,  whose  towers  you  can  see  rising  behind  yon 
cathedral  spire." 

Clearly  not  Barbara,  for  Barbara  had  spent  her  earlier 
years  at  Warsaw,  her  later  in  the  Illyrian  Convent  of 
the  Holy  Sacrament. 

"And  what  of  her  visit  to  Dalmatia?" 

"  That  was  undertaken  two  and  a  half  years  ago ;  at 
that  time  she  was  in  a  delicate  state  of  health,  and  the 
physicians  recommended  a  tour  around  the  Adriatic. 
She  travelled  incognito  with  a  slender  suite  under  the 
care  of  Cardinal  Ravenna." 

"  Who  took  her,  among  other  places,"  thought  Paul, 
"  to  Castel  Nuovo,  as  is  proved  by  the  fragment  of  lace 
in  the  secret  corridor." 

;<  This  tour  was  productive  of  singular  results,"  con 
tinued  Trevisa,  musingly. 

"  In  what  way?  " 

85 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

"  Well,  it  was  to  have  lasted  three  months,  but  it  was 
extended  to  six ;  and  when  the  princess  returned  she 
was  an  altered  being;  I  do  not  mean  in  appearance,  I 
refer  to  her  character." 

Light  began  to  dawn  upon  Paul.  The  Princess  Natalie 
had  not  returned  to  Czernova;  instead  there  had  come 
her  living  image  —  Barbara ! 

"  What  remarkable  development  had  the  princess's 
character  undergone  ?  " 

"  Beforetime  she  was  a  gay  and  vivacious  maiden. 
She  returned  grave  and  sedate.  This  change  \vas  attrib 
uted  to  the  earthquake." 

"  The  earthquake  ?  " 

"  Yes.  Don't  you  remember  the  great  upheaval  on 
the  Dalmatian  littoral  two  years  ago  ? " 

"  Ah !  I  remember  something  of  the  sort,  now  I  come 
to  think  of  it." 

"  Well,  the  terrible  scenes  witnessed  by  Princess  Na 
talie,  together  with  her  own  nearness  to  death,  seem  to 
have  sobered  her  from  girlhood  into  womanhood.  From 
that  time  she  began  to  take  a  keen  interest  in  state  affairs, 
which  she  had  previously  regarded  as  boredom." 

"  Barbara  was  keenly  interested  in  politics,"  thought 
Paul. 

"  Beforetime  her  predilections,  if  she  had  any,  were 
in  favor  of  Russia.  She  returned  divested  of  her  Mus 
covite  sympathies." 

"  Barbara  was  decidedly  an  anti-Muscovite,"  thought 
Paul. 

"  But  the  greatest  change  —  " 

"  Yes,  the  greatest  change  —  ? "  repeated  Paul,  ob 
serving  that  the  other  had  stopped  short  in  his  utterance 
with  the  air  of  one  about  to  be  betrayed  into  an  impru 
dent  statement. 

As  Trevisa  did  not  reply,  Paul  drew  a  bow  at  a  venture. 

"  The  princess  was  reared  in  the  Greek  faith,  I  am 

86 


Two  Years  Afterwards 

given  to  understand  ?  Humph !  what  was  Prince  Thad- 
deus  thinking  of  when  he  placed  his  daughter  under  the 
tutelage  of  Cardinal  Ravenna?  One  can  guess  the  re 
sult.  The  princess  went  away  a  Greek,  and  came  back 
a  Catholic.  Is  it  not  so  ?  " 

"  Hush !  "  muttered  Trevisa,  glancing  around  in  some 
trepidation.  "  Yes,  that  is  so.  You  have  hit  on  a  state 
secret,  communicated  only  to  her  cabinet,  and  to  me  — 
her  secretary.  But,  Paul,  breathe  not  a  word  of  this 
to  any  one,  for  the  knowledge  of  it  would  shake  her 
throne,  and  — 

He  paused.  There  was  a  sudden  commotion  in  the 
street  below.  Pedestrians  had  stopped  in  their  walk,  and 
were  crowding  to  the  edge  of  the  pavement  with  their 
faces  all  set  in  one  direction,  whence  came  the  distant 
sound  of  cheering  and  of  clapping  hands.  The  ap 
plause  rolled  in  crescendo  along  the  boulevards,  ad 
vancing  nearer  each  moment  to  the  two  friends. 

"Here  comes  the  princess!"  cried  Trevisa,  springing 
to  his  feet.  Paul  felt  his  heart  beating  as  it  had  never 
beat  before  when  he  turned  his  eyes  towards  the  ap 
proaching  cavalcade. 

First  came  a  detachment  of  Polish  uhlans,  their  bur 
nished  lances  glittering  in  the  morning  sunshine,  and  the 
points  decorated  with  black  pennons  that  fluttered  in  the 
breeze. 

The  handsome  regimentals  of  this  corps  du  garde,  the 
Blue  Legion,  promptly  drew  from  Paul  the  remark,  — 

"  Why,  their  uniform  is  the  same  as  the  Twenty-fourth 
Kentish !  " 

"  A  remark  previously  made  by  me,"  observed  Trevisa, 
drily.  "  You  are  singularly  forgetful,  Paul." 

On  came  the  lancers  at  a  swinging  trot,  followed  by  an 
open  landau  containing  the  princess. 

A  moment  more  and  this  carriage  was  abreast  of  the 
hotel,  and  as  if  fortune  were  favoring  Paul,  the  vehicle 

87 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

was  brought  to  a  sudden  stand-still  opposite  the  balcony 
on  which  he  stood. 

The  equipage  was  a  dainty  one,  lined  with  pale  blue 
silk,  the  arms  of  Poland  gleaming  in  gold  from  the  pol 
ished  sable  panel.  The  fine  black  horses,  with  coats  like 
shining  satin,  were  decked  in  silver  harness. 

But  Paul  saw  nothing  of  this  equipage ;  his  eyes  were 
set  upon  its  occupant. 

There,  seated  in  graceful  state,  with  silken  sunshade 
poised  above  her  head,  and  responsive  to  the  plaudits  of 
the  people  by  sweet  smiles  and  a  courteous  bending  of 
her  head,  was  —  the  youthful  and  beautiful  Barbara ! 

The  supreme  joy  of  realizing  that  she  was  actually  liv 
ing  so  affected  Paul  that  for  a  moment  the  whole  street 
—  Barbara,  soldiers,  people,  buildings  —  became  a  con 
fused  swimming  vision.  A  sound  like  the  murmur  of 
many  waters  filled  his  ears. 

With  difficulty  he  controlled  his  first  impulse  to  de 
scend  the  hotel  steps,  crying  "  Barbara !  Barbara !  "  It 
set  his  teeth  on  edge  afterwards  when  he  recalled  how 
near  he  had  come  to  making  a  fool  of  himself.  No,  his 
first  interview  with  her  must  not  take  place  in  the  open 
street  before  a  wondering,  gaping  throng. 

Fearing  lest  she  should  glance  upwards  and  recognize 
him,  Paul  drew  aside  behind  a  screen  of  aloes  that  deco 
rated  the  balcony,  and  continued  to  watch. 

Yes,  it  was  truly  Barbara.  The  convent-fugitive  who 
had  strolled  with  him  through  the  pine-woods  of  Dal- 
matia,  the  Polish  maiden  whom  he  had  held  in  his  arms 
had  become  a  real  princess  with  a  court,  ministers,  and 
an  army  at  her  command.  The  wonderment  of  it  all ! 
And  though  she  had  spent  nearly  a  third  of  her  life  in  a 
convent,  yet  there  she  sat  with  the  air  of  one  born  in  the 
purple.  It  was  amazing,  nay,  charming,  to  mark  the 
dignity  and  the  ease  with  which  she  carried  herself  in 
her  new  state. 

88 


Two  Years  Afterwards 

The  landau  of  the  princess  had  been  stopped  before  the 
Hotel  de  Varsovie  in  order  to  enable  her  to  address  two 
pedestrians,  who,  judging  from  the  respect  paid  to  them 
by  the  crowd,  were  persons  of  distinction  in  the  little 
world  of  Czernova. 

The  first  was  an  elderly,  silver-haired  man  of  fine 
presence,  and  distinguished  by  a  stately,  old-fashioned 
courtesy. 

"  Count  Radzivil,"  replied  Trevisa,  in  answer  to  Paul's 
question.  "  The  prime  minister  of  Czernova,  brother  of 
the  celebrated  Michael,  who  commanded  the  Polish  in 
surgents  of  '30." 

As  the  premier  was  old  enough  to  be  Barbara's  grand 
father,  Paul  could  afford  to  view  him  with  composure; 
but  the  case  was  very  different  with  the  other  individual. 

He  was  a  man  of  lofty  stature,  and  of  broad,  massive 
build,  with  a  dark,  handsome  face  set  off  with  black  eyes 
and  a  black  beard.  The  sunbeams  toyed  with  the  silver 
eagle  upon  his  helmet.  His  splendid  uniform  glittered 
with  gold  lace,  stars,  and  orders.  He  carried  himself  erect, 
his  left  hand  resting  upon  the  hilt  of  his  sabre ;  and  it  was 
clear  that  both  in  his  own  opinion,  and  also  in  the  opinion 
of  the  crowd,  he  was  a  very  grand  personage  indeed. 

"Who's  His  Serene  Tallness?" 

"  John  the  Strong,  Duke  of  Bora,  commander  of  the 
Czernovese  a/my,  a  member  of  the  cabinet,  and  the  heir- 
apparent  to  the  crown.  He  is  first  cousin  to  the  princess, 
and  likewise  a  near  kinsman  of  the  Czar." 

Envy  and  misgiving  stole  over  Paul  as  he  contrasted 
his  own  inferior  rank  with  that  of  the  imperially-con 
nected  Bora.  Barbara  was  bending  forward  in  her  car 
riage,  laughing  pleasantly,  and  apparently  holding  an 
animated  conversation  with  the  duke.  One  might  almost 
have  thought  that  she  was  exerting  all  her  arts  to  please 
him. 

Paul  surveyed  him  more  attentively,  and  quickly 

89 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

gauged  his  character,  —  an  individual  naturally  sullen, 
of  a  somewhat  slow  intellect,  yet  not  without  ambition ; 
a  man  upon  whom  the  graces  and  restraints  of  polite  life 
lay  but  lightly ;  a  little  provocation,  and  the  savage 
would  soon  be  in  evidence.  What  could  Barbara  find  in 
this  man  to  interest  her? 

"  Bora  seems  on  excellent  terms  with  the  princess," 
said  Paul. 

"  Naturally,  seeing  that  he  is  to  marry  her." 

"What?"' 

Paul's  intonation  was  so  sharp  that  Trevisa  turned  to 
survey  him. 

"  Why,  Paul,  how  white  you  're  grown !  " 

"  Merely  a  pang  from  an  old  wound.  But  your  prin 
cess  ;  she  can't  entertain  any  real  love  for  tJiat  fellow." 

"  Love  was  never  fashionable  at  courts,"  smiled  Tre 
visa.  His  words  jarred  upon  Paul.  If  Barbara  had  be 
come  such  that  she  could  marry  without  any  love  on  her 
side,  then  her  nature  must  have  sadly  changed  from  what 
it  was  in  the  old  sweet  days  at  Castel  Nuovo. 

"  It  is  a  manage  de  convcnance,"  continued  Trevisa, 
"  tending  to  secure  her  position  on  the  throne,  and  —  but 
see,  she  is  about  to  set  off  again." 

The  princess,  having  finished  her  conversation,  drew 
off  her  right  glove  and  extended  her  fair  jewelled  hand 
to  the  duke  with  a  smile  and  graciousness  of  manner  that 
roused  all  the  jealousy  in  Paul's  nature. 

"She  has  forgotten  me,"  he  murmured  bitterly.  "Well, 
of  course,  she  thinks  me  dead ;  but  even  if  she  knew 
otherwise,  it  is  not  likely  that  she  will  pay  much  regard 
to  me  now.  And  yet  what  were  her  words  to  me  on  the 
day  that  we  were  parted?  '  If  I  were  an  empress,  Paul, 
I  would  be  your  wife.'  Humph!  we  shall  see." 

Bora  raised  the  delicate  hand  to  his  lips  amid  the  ap 
plause  of  the  crowd,  who  seemed  to  regard  the  incident 
as  a  very  pretty  tableau. 

90 


Two  Years  Afterwards 

Count  Raclzivil  lifted  his  hat  with  courtly  grace,  and 
[he  next  moment  the  landau  was  gliding  smoothly  along 
the  Boulevard  de  Cracovie,  followed  by  a  detachment  of 
cavalry  similar  in  equipments  to  that  which  had  pre 
ceded  it. 

Paul  was  left  a  victim  to  perplexing  thoughts. 

What  had  become  of  the  real  Princess  Natalie,  and 
why  had  Barbara  assumed  the  name,  title,  and  sceptre  of 
the  daughter  of  Thaddeus,  personating  the  character  with 
such  art  and  tact  as  apparently  to  defy  detection,  since 
Trevisa,  though  long  resident  in  Czernova,  had  no  sus 
picion  of  the  substitution  that  had  taken  place? 

Had  Barbara  a  just  title  to  the  throne?  Recalling  her 
air  as  she  sat  in  the  landau,  Paul  felt  that  he  could  not 
associate  the  appropriation  of  another's  heritage  with  that 
winsome  and  dignified  presence.  No,  difficult  though  it 
was  to  explain  her  conduct,  he  would  believe  anything 
rather  than  that  she  was  a  conscious  and  willing  usurper. 


CHAPTER   II 

CZERNOVESE    POLITICS 

"  IT  ~W  TELL,"  said  Trevisa,  puzzled  by  Paul's  long 
%/%/  silence,   "  what  think  you  of  this  fair  vestal 
T    T     throned  in  the  east  ?  " 

"  My  wonder  is  how  you,  her  private  secretary,  com 
pelled  by  your  office  to  attend  her  daily,  have  avoided 
falling  in  love  with  her." 

"  By  steeling  my  heart  and  playing  the  philosopher. 
Princesses  are  not  for  common  mortals  like  myself.  Give 
me  blue  blood  and  a  title,  and  I  might  aspire.  The  sov 
ereign  of  Czernova  must  not  marry  a  commoner,  on  pain 
of  forfeiture  of  the  crown.  Her  consort  must  be  one  of 
royal  or  noble  birth." 

"Ah!  is  that  the  law?"  asked  Paul,  with  affected 
carelessness. 

"  So  runneth  the  statute  of  Czernova,"  replied  the 
secretary. 

"  The  sovereign  must  not  marry  a  commoner!  "  Why 
had  he  come  to  Czernova?  Better  to  have  remained  in 
ignorance  of  her  fate,  than,  on  finding  her,  to  learn  that 
she  could  never  be  his. 

"  You  said,"  he  remarked,  after  an  interval  of  silence, 
"  that  the  marriage  of  the  princess  with  the  duke  will 
secure  the  stability  of  her  throne.  In  what  way  ?  " 

"  The  explanation  will  require  a  long  lecture  on  Czer- 
novese  politics.  You  will  esteem  me  a  bore." 

"  Not  at  all.     Go  on." 

"  To  begin  then.  This  principality  of  Czernova  repre 
sents  the  last  fragment  of  the  ancient  kingdom  of  Poland ; 

92 


Czernovese  Politics 

it  is  one  of  the  old  palatinates,  and  the  Lilieskis  were  its 
palatines. 

"  On  the  fall  of  Poland,  in  1795,  Czernova  formed  part 
of  the  share  allotted  to  Russia,  and  received  exceptional 
treatment  from  that  power,  the  reason  being  that  the 
Lilieski  of  that  day,  a  handsome  young  fellow,  was  one 
of  the  favorites  of  the  Empress  Catherine.  She  not  only 
permitted  him  to  retain  his  palatinate,  but  even  created 
him  Prince,  and  set  her  hand  and  seal  to  a  new  constitu 
tion  framed  by  Lilieski  himself,  which  conferred  upon 
Czernova  all  the  rights  of  a  free  and  independent  state. 
The  Russians  of  to-day  aver  that  the  Empress  must  have 
signed  the  document  without  reading  it,  or  at  least  with 
out  understanding  what  she  was  granting.  Be  that  as  it 
may,  the  Poles  of  Czernova,  having  obtained  a  Charter  of 
Liberty,  have  resolutely  refused  to  assent  to  any  modi 
fication  of  its  provisions." 

"  But  seeing  that  Russia  is  a  hundred  times  the 
stronger,  what  has  prevented  her  from  annexing  Czer 
nova?  " 

''  The  rescript  of  the  Congress  of  Vienna  to  the  effect 
that '  Czernova  shall  be  governed  according  to  the  Charter 
granted  by  Catherine  II.'  The  Powers  are  therefore 
pledged  to  maintain  the  status  quo. 

"  So  much  for  the  political  frame-work.  Now  for  the 
people. 

"  The  Czernovese  consist  of  diverse  elements,  but  the 
two  chief  nationalities  are  Poles  and  Muscovites. 

"  The  Poles  are  the  original  inhabitants  of  the  country, 
passionately  attached  to  their  liberty,  and  Catholics  to  a 
man.  They  form  a  majority  in  the  principality;  but  for 
the  two  past  decades  there  has  been  a  steady  influx  of 
immigrants  from  Russia,  which,  if  continued  in  the  same 
ratio,  will  inevitably  result  in  the  Russification  of 
Czernova. 

"  These  Muscovites,  it  need  scarcely  be  said,  belong  to 

93 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

the  Greek  Church,  the  head  of  which  is  the  Czar ;  their 
sympathies  are  of  course  pro-Russian,  and  if  the  Em 
peror  Nicholas  were  to  prepare  to-morrow  for  annexation 
very  few  of  them  would  lift  a  finger  to  prevent  it. 

"  Here,  then,  is  the  crux  of  the  political  situation. 

"  Czernova  is  occupied  by  two  races  alien  in  blood, 
language,  religion  and  ideals.  They  can  no  more  unite 
than  fire  with  water.  In  the  Diet,  Poles  and  Muscovites 
form  two  hostile  factions ;  the  debates  are  acrimonious ; 
swords  are  sometimes  drawn,  and  the  scenes  occurring 
lack  none  of  the  fiery  picturesqueness  that  was  wont  to 
characterize  the  old  Polish  Diet  of  Warsaw/' 

"  A  difficult  matter,"  interjected  Paul,  "  to  find  a  ruler 
who  shall  be  acceptable  to  both  factions." 

"  Well,  as  things  are  at  present,"  replied  Trevisa, 
emphasizing  the  last  two  words,  ''  the  Princess  Natalie 
satisfies  the  requirement.  The  Poles  love  her  for  her 
nationality ;  and  the  Muscovites,  if  they  do  not  love,  are 
at  least  disposed  to  tolerate  a  ruler  whom  they  believe  to 
be  a  member  of  their  own  Church.  It  is  a  guarantee  that 
their  own  creed  will  not  be  persecuted,  for  you  know  how 
intolerantly  the  Roman  Church  behaved  in  old  Poland. 

"  Now  it  is  the  princess's  secret  faith  which  constitutes 
the  coming  peril. 

"  When  the  Muscovites  learn  that  she  is  a  Catholic  — 
and  the  truth  cannot  remain  much  longer  hidden  —  it  is 
doubtful  whether  their  loyalty  will  be  able  to  stand  the 
shock.  They  may  rise  in  arms  and  endeavor  to  seat  the 
Duke  of  Bora  on  the  throne,  who  has  three  recommenda 
tions  in  their  eyes ;  he  is  of  the  Greek  Church,  a  Musco 
vite  on  the  mother's  side,  and  connected,  as  I  have  said, 
with  the  blood-imperial  of  Russia. 

"  Hence,  in  the  opinion  of  the  cabinet,  the  necessity  for 
the  marriage  of  the  princess  with  the  duke;  their  joint 
occupation  of  the  throne  is  the  only  thing  that  can  keep 
Pole  and  Muscovite  from  cutting  each  other's  throats.  A 

94 


Czernovese  Politics 

son  born  of  this  marriage  will  tend  to  unite  the  interests 
of  both  parties." 

Barbara  with  a  son !  And  by  the  duke !  The  thought 
set  Paul's  blood  on  fire. 

"  The  cabinet  of  course  are  united  on  the  question  of 
this  marriage?  "  he  asked. 

;<  They  may  n't  like  it,  but,  as  I  have  said,  they  feel  its 
necessity.  I  can  name  two  ministers,  however,  who,  out 
wardly  assenting,  are  secretly  opposing  the  match." 

"  And  they  are  —  ?  " 

"  Cardinal  Ravenna  and  Marshal  Zabern." 

Ravenna !  It  was  rather  surprising  to  find  Barbara 
including  among  her  ministry  the  ecclesiastic  who  had 
formerly  inspired  her  with  aversion.  Then  Paul's  sur 
prise  ceased  when  he  reflected  that  the  cardinal  was  mas 
ter  of  her  secret  history,  and  would  therefore  require  to 
be  conciliated.  An  uneasy  suspicion  began  to  form  in 
his  mind  that  Barbara  was  the  innocent  victim  of  a  Jesuit 
ical  conspiracy  —  that  she  had  been  duped  into  believing 
herself  a  princess  by  ecclesiastics  who  intended  to  make 
use  of  her  as  a  tool. 

"  A  Latin  cardinal,"  he  said.  "  I  can  understand  that 
he  would  oppose  the  marrying  of  the  princess  to  a  Greek 
heretic.  But  Zabern  —  who  is  he  ?  " 

Trevisa  smiled. 

"  You  will  not  be  long  in  Czernova  without  learning 
who  Zabern  is.  He  is  the  Warden  of  the  Charter,  the 
most  subtle  character  in  the  cabinet,  the  idol  of  the  Czern 
ovese  Poles,  whose  motto  is  '  Trust  in  God  and  Zabern  — 
especially  Zabern.'  Ask  the  Muscovites  who  Zabern  is, 
and  they  will  blaspheme  and  tell  you  that  he  is  the  incar 
nation  of  the  devil.  And  as  the  slaying  of  the  devil  would 
be  a  holy  act,  their  pious  attentions  in  this  respect  have 
compelled  the  marshal  to  go  about  with  chain-mail  be 
neath  his  clothing." 

"  And  Zabern,  you  say,  is  opposed  to  the  match?  But 

95 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

if  the  princess  has  set  her  mind  upon  it,  how  does  Zabern 
propose  to  play  his  game  ?  " 

"  His  first  card  is  the  Pope." 

"The  Pope?" 

"  Yes.  The  princess,  being  a  Catholic,  is  debarred  by 
the  canons  of  her  Church  from  marrying  the  duke,  inas 
much  as  he  is  her  first  cousin.  The  papal  dispensation  is 
necessary  before  the  union  can  be  celebrated." 

"  And  should  the  Holy  Father  refuse  to  grant  it  ?  " 

Trevisa's  face  assumed  a  very  grave  expression. 

"  Then  the  princess  will  indeed  be  in  a  dilemma.  If 
she  marries  without  papal  sanction  the  union  will  be 
deemed  null  and  void  by  her  Catholic  subjects.  All  the 
Polish  clergy  will  be  set  against  her,  and  you  know  what 
that  means.  On  the  other  hand,  if  she  submits  to  the  will 
of  the  Pope,  and  dismisses  her  ducal  suitor,  she  will  put 
herself  in  grave  peril.  The  coronation  takes  place  within 
four  months  from  now,  and  the  Muscovites  are  fully  ex 
pecting  to  see  the  duke  seated  side  by  side  with  her  in  that 
ceremony.  Disappointment  will  cause  an  armed  rising 
on  their  part,  and  then  —  and  then  —  I  greatly  fear  there 
will  be  an  end  to  the  princess's  rule." 

"  How  so?    Why  should  not  her  adherents  prevail?" 

"  They  would,  if  left  to  themselves,  for  they  are  the 
more  numerous  party.  But,  behind  the  Muscovite  faction, 
and  filling  the  minds  of  the  ministers  with  secret  fear, 
looms  the  colossal  shadow  of  the  Czar.  If  there  should 
be  riots,  and  the  Poles  should  take  to  burning  and  killing, 
the  Muscovites  will  cry  to  Nicholas  to  protect  his  own 
kith  and  kin,  and  then,  good-bye  to  Czernovese  liberty. 
The  Czar  will  have  what  he  has  so  long  sought  —  a  pre 
text  for  annexation.  Heaven  avert  such  a  calamity,  but 
one  cannot  prophesy  a  bright  future  for  Czernova  unless 
this  marriage  takes  place." 

Trevisa  had  scarcely  finished  this  exposition  of  Czerno 
vese  politics  when  he  happened  to  see  a  lady  well  known 

96 


Czernovese  Politics 

to  him  entering  the  hotel.  Asking  Paul  to  excuse  his 
absence  for  a  few  minutes,  he  went  off  to  pay  his  devoirs. 

Paul,  not  unwilling  to  be  left  alone,  sat  thinking  of 
Barbara.  What  would  be  the  state  of  her  feelings  when 
she  learned  that  he  was  alive  ?  She  had  accepted  his  love 
prior  to  the  knowledge  of  her  high  rank.  It  was  not  likely 
that  under  her  changed  circumstances  she  would  consider 
herself  bound  by  her  past  promises.  Granting,  however, 
that  she  still  loved  him ;  granting  that  the  Duke  of  Bora 
would  be  so  heroic  as  to  efface  himself,  marriage  was  im 
possible  without  the  forfeiture  of  that  sceptre,  which 
rightfully  or  wrongfully  she  now  held,  and  to  this  sacri 
fice  Paul  felt  that  he  could  never  consent,  even  if  Barbara 
herself  were  willing. 

His  duty  was  clear.  He  must  live  his  life  apart  from 
her.  But  before  he  left  Czernova  he  must  have  an  inter 
view  with  her.  He  must  see  her  once  more  face  to  face 
and  alone,  and  he  thought  of  this  meeting  with  feelings 
of  pleasure  and  pain. 

Looking  up  from  this  reverie,  whom  should  he  see  at 
3.  little  distance  but  the  Duke  of  Bora,  attended  by  Count 
Radzivil.  The  pair  were  making  their  way  along  the 
balcony  of  the  hotel,  apparently  with  the  intention  of 
taking  a  seat  or  calling  for  wine  at  one  of  the  many  little 
ta.bles  spread  about. 

As  the  duke  drew  near,  a  spirit  of  latent  defiance  took 
possession  of  Paul.  This  was  the  man  destined  to  rob 
him  of  Barbara  —  Barbara  who  belonged  of  prior  right 
to  himself.  It  was  clearly  state-policy  that  dictated  her 
attitude  towards  the  duke.  Paul  found  it  impossible  to 
believe  that  the  delicately-minded  and  intellectual  Barbara 
could  feel  any  genuine  love  for  this  great,  clumsy  bar 
barian. 

"  Let  him  keep  to  Natalie,  and  leave  me  Barbara.  What 
sort  of  a  lover  must  he  be  ?  Where  were  his  eyes  two  years 
ago,  that  he  did  not  perceive  that  the  returning  princess 
7  97 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

was  not  his  first  love?  Barbara  must  have  played  her 
part  well  so  to  impose  upon  him.  But  was  he  deceived? 
Does  he  know  the  truth,  and  knowing,  make  use  of  it 
to  intimidate  Barbara  into  marrying  him  ?  " 

A  thought  which  did  not  tend  to  increase  Paul's 
amiability. 

As  the  duke  passed  he  eyed  Paul  askance,  and  then 
wheeling  round  with  a  suddenness  that  formed  a  marked 
contrast  with  his  previous  slowness,  he  exclaimed  in  a 
voice  of  thunder,  — 

"  You  have  neither  stood  nor  saluted,  sir !  " 

Paul  regarded  the  fierce  Bora  with  a  look  of  calm 
surprise.  What  right  had  this  Czernovese  grandee  to 
demand  a  salute  from  him  —  an  English  officer  ? 

"  You  have  neither  stood  nor  saluted,  sir !  " 

"  Why  should  I  ?  " 

The  duke's  black  eyes  flashed  savagely ;  his  face  grew 
as  dark  as  night. 

"  Are  you  mad  or  drunk  ?  Report  yourself  a  prisoner 
at  the  Citadel." 

"  Again  I  ask,  why  should  I  ?  " 

Bora  gripped  his  sword-handle  with  an  air  compounded 
of  amazement  and  fury.  A  whispered  word  from  Rad- 
zivil  seemed  to  exercise  a  moderating  effect  upon  him. 

"  Permit  me  to  give  my  name,"  said  the  minister,  step 
ping  forward  with  a  courteous  bearing.  "  I  am  Count 
Radzivil,  premier  of  Czernova.  May  I  ask  a  like  favor?  " 

"  I  am  an  Englishman,  Captain  Woodville  of  the  24th 
Kentish.  May  I  ask  who  is  this  —  ah!  —  gentleman?" 

An  Englishman !  Bora  immediately  recognized  his 
error.  Misled  by  Paul's  uniform  he  had  taken  him  for 
one  of  his  own  officers.  The  duke  could  ill  bear  ridicule, 
and  if  this  story  got  abroad  he  would  be  the  laughing 
stock  of  Czernova. 

"  Permit  me  to  reveal  my  dignity,"  he  began  stiffly. 

"  Your  —  ?     But  proceed,  sir." 

98 


Czernovese  Politics 

"  I  am  the  Duke  of  Bora,  commander-in-chief  of  the 
Czernovese  army.  Your  English  uniform  being  so  sim 
ilar  to  the  Czernovese  — 

"  Pardon  me.  You  mean  that  the  Czernovese  is  so 
similar  to  the  English." 

"  That  I  not  unreasonably  took  you  for  a  Czernovese 
officer." 

And  with  a  scowl  the  duke  drew  aside,  deeming  that 
he  made  a  sufficient  apology,  and  Paul,  had  he  chosen, 
might  have  boasted  that  he  was  the  only  man  who  had 
ever  drawn  an  apology  from  the  duke. 

"Woodville?  Woodville?"  murmured  the  premier 
with  a  musing  air.  "  Surely  not  the  Captain  Woodville 
who  conducted  the  defence  of  the  Afghan  fortress  of 
Tajapore?  " 

"  The  same,"  replied  Paul  modestly. 

The  duke  glanced  askance  at  Paul  with  a  feeling  of 
jealousy,  the  mean  jealousy  of  the  man  who  had  done 
Nothing,  against  the  man  who  had  done  Something. 

Paul's  breast  was  without  a  single  decoration.  The 
duke's  breast  was  a  glitter  of  stars  and  crosses,  none  of 
which  had  been  gained  by  actual  service  in  war.  Bora 
felt  the  irony  of  the  contrast,  and  grew  more  bitter.  Rad- 
zivil,  however,  was  full  of  genuine  affability. 

"  Captain  Woodville,  it  gives  me  great  pleasure  to  meet 
you,"  he  said,  extending  his  hand.  "  Had  we  known  of 
your  intention  to  visit  Czernova  you  should  have  been 
met  with  a  guard  of  honor,  and  received  in  a  manner 
worthy  of  your  fame.  It  was  wrong  of  you  to  slip  pri 
vately  into  Slavowitz.  Englishmen  are  always  welcome 
at  the  court  of  the  princess.  The  princess,  sir,  takes  a 
great  interest  in  English  affairs,  so  much  so  that  some  of 
our  free-speaking  newspapers  (for  as  you  are  perhaps 
aware,  we  have  no  censorship  of  the  press  in  Czernova) 
have  ventured  to  term  her  an  Anglomaniac ;  Anglophile 
would  be  a  more  suitable  term.  At  her  initiative  we  have 

99 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

modelled  the  forms  of  our  Diet  upon  the  lines  of  your 
House  of  Commons.  For  example,  we  give  three  read 
ings  to  a  Bill.  The  princess  has  a  great  admiration  for 
the  English.  You  may  not  know  that  she  has  an  Eng 
lishman  for  her  private  secretary." 

"  You  allude  to  Trevisa.  My  friend,  count.  We 
studied  together  at  the  same  university." 

"  Really  now,  this  is  a  very  interesting  coincidence," 
said  Radzivil,  tapping  his  snuff-box  pleasantly.  "  Your 
grace,"  he  added,  turning  to  the  duke,  "  Captain  Wood- 
ville  is  an  old  friend  of  Trevisa's." 

But  Bora  affected  not  to  hear.  He  hated  the  secretary, 
and  as  a  corollary,  all  who  were  the  friends  of  the 
secretary. 

"  Trevisa  is  an  admirable  acquisition,"  continued  the 
premier,  "  and  has  done  us  good  service  in  many  ways. 
Your  grace  remembers  that  important  cipher  despatch 
which  fell  into  our  hands  some  time  ago.  It  baffled  the 
experts.  But  Trevisa  succeeded  in  unravelling  it.  He  is 
the  author  of  a  work  on  cryptography,  I  believe,  though 
I  am  ashamed  to  say  I  have  n't  yet  read  it.  The  princess 
has  no  more  loyal  servant  than  Trevisa.  He  is  more 
Czernovese  than  the  Czernovese  themselves,  and  will 
take  a  pride  in  describing  to  you  the  resources  of  our 
little  state.  We  may  not  count  for  much  among  the 
Great  Powers,  but  we  are  a  good  deal  stronger  than  most 
people  suppose." 

' '  Esse  quam  videri, '  "  smiled  Paul. 

"  Your  grace,  Captain  Woodville  honors  you.  He  is 
quoting  the  motto  of  the  ducal  House  of  Bora." 

Now  this  little  Latin  sentence  was  the  same  as  that 
inscribed  on  the  golden  band  of  the  seal  which  Paul  had 
found  in  the  secret  corridor  of  Castel  Nuovo. 

He  happened  at  that  moment  to  be  wearing  the  signet 
affixed  to  his  watch-chain,  and  scarcely  knowing  that  he 
did  so,  he  drew  it  forth  and  looked  at  it. 

100 


Czernovese  Politics 

The  duke,  attentive  to  Paul's  action,  caught  sight  of  the 
sparkling  sapphire.  He  started,  took  a  step  forward  — 
another  —  a  third  —  his  eyes  all  the  time  resting  upon 
the  gem. 

"  How  came  you  possessed  of  that  seal  ?  " 

There  was  something  so  peculiarly  aggressive  in  the 
duke's  manner  that  an  angry  retort  trembled  on  Paul's 
lips. 

"  Did  you  not  receive  it  from  a  lady?  " 

Then  the  truth  flashed  upon  Paul.  This  signet  must 
have  belonged  to  the  duke,  inasmuch  as  it  bore  his  motto. 
An  historic  heirloom,  it  had  been  given  by  him  to  the 
Princess  Natalie,  and  had  been  lost  by  her  in  the  secret 
passage  where  Paul  had  found  it.  No  wonder  that  Bora 
was  incensed  at  its  re-appearance  in  this  fashion !  Jeal 
ousy  caused  him  to  draw  an  altogether  erroneous  con 
clusion,  and  unfortunately  it  was  impossible  for  Paul 
to  set  him  right  without  entering  into  the  particulars  of 
his  sojourn  at  Castel  Nuovo. 

"  A  lady  gave  you  that  ring." 

"  There  your  grace  errs." 

"  That 's  a  lie,"  cried  Bora  savagely. 

"  Softly,  your  grace,"  remonstrated  Radzivil,  glancing 
nervously  around.  "  Let  us  have  no  scandal  in  public." 

With  difficulty  Paul  restrained  his  anger. 

"  Your  grace's  language  is  extremely  offensive,  but  I 
am  willing  to  make  all  allowances.  I  do  not  wish  to  quar 
rel  with  you.  This  seal  was  not  given  to  me  by  a  lady. 
I  found  it,  and  you  claim  it  as  yours.  I  am  quite  willing 
to  restore  it." 

Bora  took  Paul's  self-restraint  for  cowardice. 

"You  found  it?  Where?  When?  Under  what  cir 
cumstances  ?  " 

"  Those  are  questions  that  I  must  decline  to  answer." 

"You  refuse?" 

"  Most  certainly." 

101 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

"  Then  you  shall  fight  me." 

Paul,  thoroughly  roused  by  the  duke's  arrogant  man 
ner,  was  not  at  all  averse  to  accepting  this  challenge. 

Then  he  thought  of  Barbara.  The  affair  could  not  be 
hidden.  She  would  learn  that  his  first  act  on  coming  into 
Czernova  was  to  fight  a  duel  with  her  future  consort.  He 
would  thus  appear  in  her  eyes  as  a  brawling  swashbuckler 
presuming  on  her  affection  to  protect  him  from  the  conse 
quences  of  his  acts. 

"  No,  your  grace,  I  shall  not  fight,"  he  replied  quietly. 

"Finding  it  easier  to  meet  Afghans  than  a  Czernovese," 
sneered  Bora.  "  Have  you  ever  noticed,  Radzivil,  how 
brave  these  English  are  against  all  the  savage  races  of  the 
world, — how  reluctant  to  face  the  European?  If  you 
will  not  fight  I  cannot,  of  course,  compel  you.  But  I  can 
at  least  brand  you  as  a  coward." 

And  lifting  the  cane  that  he  carried  he  brought  it  down 
heavily  across  Paul's  cheek. 

"  Your  grace !  "  exclaimed  Radzivil,  and  filled  with  dis 
gust  and  anger  he  walked  away  to  the  far  end  of  the 
balcony. 

The  bronze  had  faded  from  Paul's  face  leaving  it 
deadly  white  save  for  a  livid  stripe  on  the  left  cheek. 

"  Will  you  fight  me  now  ?  "  said  the  duke  with  a  sneer 
ing  smile  and  raising  his  cane  again,  "  or  does  your  cow 
ardice  require  a  further  stimulus  ?  " 

"  Fight  you  ?  Yes,  by  heaven !  "  said  Paul,  with  a  deep 
inspiration.  "  Send  your  second  here  without  delay  to 
meet  mine.  I  hold  no  further  parley  with  you.  My 
sword  shall  speak  for  me." 

A  gleam  of  ferocious  joy  passed  over  the  duke's  face. 

"  My  second  shall  attend  yours  within  an  hour.  But 
first  a  caution  to  Radzivil.  He  hath  too  talkative  a 
tongue,  and  this  matter  must  be  kept  secret." 

He  turned  from  Paul,  who  sat  down,  the  cynosure  of 
many  eyes.  The  loungers  on  the  balcony,  the  hotel 
ier 


Czernovese  Politics 

attendants,  the  passers-by  on  the  boulevard,  had  seen  the 
duke's  action,  and  concluded  that  in  his  usual  sweet 
fashion  he  was  simply  chastising  the  impertinence  of  one 
of  his  own  subordinates. 

And  as  Paul  sat  there  thinking,  first  of  the  insult  he 
had  received,  and  then  of  the  fair,  graceful  head  of  Bar 
bara  pillowed  on  the  breast  of  this  savage,  he  felt  the 
devil  of  hatred  rising  within  him. 

"  By  God,  I  '11  kill  him !  "  he  muttered  between  his  set 
teeth.  "  I  shall  be  doing  Barbara  a  service.  He  to  marry 
her,  forsooth !  " 

The  Duke  of  Bora,  not  at  all  ashamed  of  his  display  of 
passion,  vexed  only  that  Radzivil  should  have  shown  such 
marked  disapproval,  moved  forward  to  the  table  where 
the  premier  sat  with  wine  before  him. 

The  latter  durst  offer  no  more  than  mild  remonstrances, 
for  he  occupied  a  delicate  position.  It  was  not  polite  to 
make  an  enemy  of  one  destined  to  be  the  Prince  Consort 
of  Czernova. 

"  Your  grace,  you  forget  that  duelling  is  forbidden  by 
the  law." 

"  I  am  the  heir-apparent,  and  above  the  law,"  returned 
Bora  haughtily. 

"  You  will  not  find  the  princess  taking  that  view  of  the 
matter.  Remember  how  earnest  she  was  in  advocating 
the  Anti-duelling  Act.  For  one  of  her  own  ministers  to 
fly  in  the  face  of  it  is  to  treat  her  with  contempt.  Your 
grace  is  acting  very  unwisely  —  acting  in  a  manner,  par 
don  me  for  saying  it,  that  may  lead  to  the  forfeiture  of 
her  hand." 

"  Bah !  my  good  Radzivil,  be  but  discreet  and  she 
will  never  hear  of  it.  Remember,"  he  added  with  a 
menacing  air,  "  if  her  Highness  becomes  cognizant  of  this 
affair  I  shall  know  who  was  her  informant." 

He  tossed  off  a  glass  of  wine,  and  shot  a  ferocious 
glance  in  Paul's  direction. 

103 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

"Who  could  avoid  blazing  forth?"  he  presently  re 
marked.  "  Do  you  know,  Radzivil,  that  that  sapphire  seal 
was  a  gift  of  mine  to  Natalie  ?  Whenever  I  have  had  occa 
sion  to  refer  to  it  she  has  looked  embarrassed — why?" 

"  Probably  because  she  lost  it,  and  has  not  liked  to  say 
so ;  and  inasmuch  as  it  is  now  in  the  Englishman's  hands 
it  is  evident  that  he  must  have  found  it." 

'  The  finding  of  the  seal  would  be  a  very  innocent 
matter;  why,  then,  does  he  refuse  to  state  the  circum 
stances  ?  " 

Radzivil  did  not  reply,  as  he  might  very  well  have  re 
plied,  that  the  mildest-natured  individual  would  have 
taken  umbrage  at  the  duke's  insolent  manner.  He  merely 
remarked,  — 

"  What  would  your  grace  infer  ?  " 

"  That  the  seal  was  given  to  yon  fellow  by  Natalie 
herself." 

"Your  grace  must  be  mistaken.  This  is  Captain  Wood- 
ville's  first  visit  to  Czernova.  \Vhen  and  where  could 
the  princess  have  seen  him  ?  " 

"Where?  Why  not  in  Dalmatia?  Ah!  light  at  last," 
muttered  Bora,  grinding  his  teeth  and  gripping  his  sabre- 
hilt  with  a  murderous  look  towards  the  distant  Paul. 

"  Your  grace,  explain." 

"  Why  did  Natalie  extend  her  stay  in  Dalmatia  from 
three  to  six  months?  There  is  the  cause,"  he  added, 
indicating  Paul. 

"  A  secret  amour  with  him  at  a  time  when  she  was 
affianced  to  you !  You  wrong  the  princess,"  said  Radzivil 
coldly. 

"  Wait !  "  exclaimed  the  duke,  excitement  gleaming 
from  his  eyes.  "  Wrhy  did  she  return  so  melancholy  in 
mood  that  I  almost  doubted  whether  she  were  the  lively 
Natalie  of  former  days  ?  There  is  the  cause !  "  he  added, 
again  indicating  Paul. 

"  Your  grace,  this  is  midsummer  madness." 
104 


Czernovese  Politics 

"  Before  that  ill-starred  tour  she  was  ever  ready  to 
marry  me;  now,  she  continually  defers  our  nuptials. 
Why?  There  is  the  cause!"  with  the  same  gesture  as 
before.  "  She  clothes  her  corps  du  garde  in  a  new  uni 
form.  Why  ?  To  do  honor  to  her  hero  —  her  lover." 

"Her  lover?"  dissented  Radzivil.  "And  yet  she  has 
kept  him  at  a  distance  for  two  years  ?  " 

"  She  knows  that  my  sword  is  sharp,  and  that  I  brook 
no  rivals.  Who  aspires  to  the  princess  answers  to  me. 
Ha !  her  desire  for  an  Anti-duelling  Act  is  now  explained. 
The  measure  is  to  enable  her  lover  to  walk  securely  in 
Czernova.  She  would  protect  him  from  my  sword.  She 
thinks  he  may  safely  venture  here  now.  She  has  doubt 
less  been  corresponding  with  him  since  her  return  from 
Dalmatia,  their  common  friend,  Trevisa,  acting  as  in 
termediary,  being  well  qualified  for  such  office.  To 
an  affianced  princess  engaged  in  a  clandestine  affaire 
du  cocur,  an  adept  at  cipher-writing  is  a  very  useful 
auxiliary." 

He  again  glared  in  Paul's  direction  with  such  ferocity 
of  countenance  that  the  premier,  thinking  that  he  was 
about  to  jump  up  for  the  purpose  of  making  an  onslaught 
upon  Paul,  tried  to  divert  the  duke's  thoughts  by  turning 
to  another  topic,  and  accordingly  snatched  at  the  word 
"  cipher." 

"  Trevisa,  as  you  say,  is  an  adept  at  cipher-writing,  but 
at  present  his  knowledge  is  somewhat  at  fault." 

''  To  what  do  you  allude  ?  " 

:'  To  a  cryptographic  problem  recently  set  him  by 
Zabern.  Four  weeks  ago  a  tavern-brawl  between  some 
Poles  and  Muscovites  rose  so  high  as  to  call  for  the  inter 
vention  of  the  night  watch,  who  marched  the  offenders  to 
the  guard-house.  The  customary  search  taking  place, 
there  was  found  upon  one  of  the  men  a  Russian  passport 
made  out  to  one  Ivan  Russakoff,  which  name  the  man 
declared  to  be  his." 

105 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

Radzivil  had  succeeded  admirably  in  diverting  the 
duke's  attention.  Anger  faded  from  his  face.  Paul  and 
the  duel  seemed  to  be  forgotten  in  a  new  interest. 

;<  This  Russakoff  wore  a  caftan,  in  the  lining  of  which 
was  concealed  a  large  sheet  of  paper  folded  twice,  and 
covered  on  both  sides,  not  with  words  but  with  rows  of 
numerals. 

"  In  the  morning  the  offenders  were  released  with  the 
exception  of  Russakoff,  who  was  asked  to  explain  the 
meaning  of  the  paper.  But  this  he  refused  to  do.  He 
averred  that  he  was  an  agent  travelling  for  a  cloth  mer 
chant  of  Warsaw  named  Pascovitch ;  and,  as  a  matter  of 
fact,  he  carried  a  portfolio  containing  specimens  of  cloth. 
Inquiries  show  that  there  is  a  cloth  merchant  of  that  name 
at  Warsaw,  that  Russakoff  is  his  agent,  and  that  the 
tailoring  establishments  of  Slavowitz  have  considerable 
dealings  with  this  Pascovitch." 

"  They  let  the  fellow  go  after  that,  I  presume?  " 

"  Not  so.  The  matter  came  to  Zabern's  ears,  and  he 
had  the  man  brought  before  him. 

"  '  What  do  these  numerals  mean  ?  '    Zabern  asked. 

'  They   are   the    secrets    of   my   business,'    answered 
Russakoff. 

"  '  Without  doubt,'  said  the  marshal.  '  Your  business  is 
that  of  a  spy.  Your  cloth-selling  is  a  mere  cloak  to  con 
ceal  your  real  calling.'  Zabern  kept  him  under  examina 
tion  for  a  long  time.  Russakoff  refused  to  give  the 
meaning  of  the  mysterious  paper;  he  failed  to  account 
for  certain  portions  of  his  time  spent  at  Slavowitz ;  and 
the  marshal,  convinced  that  the  fellow  is  a  spy  in  the  ser 
vice  of  Russia,  has  removed  him  for  greater  security  to 
the  Citadel  where  he  now  is.  The  paper  has  been  en 
trusted  to  Trevisa  for  decipherment,  and  there  the  matter 
rests  for  the  present." 

"  And  you  say  the  cipher  puzzles  Trevisa  ?  " 

"  He  can  make  no  headway  with  it  at  all." 

1 06 


Czernovese  Politics 

The  duke  seemed  rather  pleased  than  otherwise  at 
Trevisa's  failure. 

"  Zabern  sees  a  spy  in  every  man  who  comes  from 
Russia,"  he  sneered. 

"  Well,  we  shall  soon  know  the  truth.  Zabern  talks  of 
employing  the  rack  and  the  thumbscrew  to-day." 

"  That 's  illegal,"  said  the  duke  with  a  frown. 

"  So  's  duelling,"  retorted  the  premier. 

Bora  seemed  on  the  point  of  making  an  angry  reply,  but 
checked  himself  and  said,  — 

"  And  this  supposed  spy  was  arrested  a  month  ago,  you 
say?  If  Zabern  deems  this  a  matter  of  such  importance, 
why  was  not  I,  a  minister,  informed  of  it?  " 

;'  The  affair  falls  within  Zabern's  department,  as  he  is 
the  Minister  for  Justice.  I  myself  did  not  hear  of  it  till 
yesterday,  and  then  it  was  by  accident.  And,"  added  the 
premier,  weakly  smiling  at  the  acknowledgment  that  he 
was  not  master  in  his  own  cabinet,  "  you  know  Za 
bern's  way  of  acting  without  the  knowledge  of  his  col 
leagues,  and  the  princess's  reply  to  our  plaint  '  Zabern  is 
privileged.' ': 

None  knew  this  better  than  the  duke  himself,  and  there 
passed  over  his  face  a  dark  look,  which  implied  that 
when  he  should  come  to  occupy  a  moiety  of  the  throne 
there  would  be  a  considerable  curtailment  of  Zabern's 
privileges. 

Tossing  off  the  remainder  of  his  wine  at  one  gulp,  the 
duke  rose  to  go,  accompanied  by  Radzivil. 

After  their  departure  Paul  observed  a  little  book  lying 
on  the  floor  of  the  balcony  near  the  table  where  the  two 
men  had  been  sitting,  and  concluded  that  it  had  been  un 
knowingly  dropped  by  one  of  them.  While  he  was  won 
dering  whether  to  let  it  lie,  or  to  send  it  after  them  by  a 
waiter,  Noel  Trevisa  made  his  appearance,  his  long 
absence  suggesting  that  he  had  had  a  very  interesting 
time  with  his  fair  lady  friend. 

107 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

He  noticed  the  book  and,  moved  by  curiosity,  picked  it 
up  and  found  it  to  be  a  pocket-edition  of  the  poet  ALs- 
chylus  containing  the  Greek  text  of  the  seven  plays 
without  translation,  note  or  comment. 

While  casually  turning  over  the  leaves  Trevisa  sud 
denly  stopped  and  knitted  his  brows  in  perplexity. 

"  Now  who  has  put  himself  to  all  this  trouble,  and  what 
is  the  object  of  it?  "  he  muttered. 

"  My  book,  Sir  Secretary." 

Looking  up  Trevisa  caught  the  keen  black  eyes  of  the 
duke  fixed  suspiciously  upon  him. 

"  I  still  keep  up  my  knowledge  of  the  classics,  you  per 
ceive,"  remarked  Bora,  as  the  book  was  returned  to  him. 

"  You  study  them  very  attentively,  too,  I  observe,"  said 
the  secretary ;  "  it  is  n't  every  student  that  takes  to  count 
ing  the  exact  number  of  words  in  a  Greek  play." 

Bora  stared  hard  at  Trevisa  as  if  detecting  a  hidden 
meaning  in  his  reply,  and  then  turned  away,  obviously  ill 
at  ease. 

Trevisa  rejoined  Paul,  and  catching  sight  of  the  red 
line  on  his  friend's  cheek  he  instantly  inquired  the  cause. 

"  The  signature  of  John  the  Strong,"  replied  Paul, 
grimly,  proceeding  to  explain. 

In  describing  the  recent  fracas  Paul,  not  wishing  to 
refer  to  Castel  Nuovo,  suppressed  the  incident  of  the  seal, 
making  it  appear  that  his  non-salute  of  the  duke  was  the 
cause  of  the  quarrel. 

Trevisa  listened  with  a  look  of  the  utmost  consternation. 

"  The  damned  savage !  "  he  muttered.  "  Paul,  you  are 
rushing  to  certain  death.  The  duke  is  mighty  with  the 
sabre.  There  is  not  his  equal  in  all  Czernova." 

"  Small  praise,  seeing  that  Czernova  is  but  small." 

"  He  has  already  fought  thirty  duels,  seven  of  which 
ended  fatally  for  his  opponent." 

"  He  won't  fight  more  than  his  thirty-first.  And,  Noel, 
you  must  be  my  second." 

1 08 


Czernovese  Politics 

"  Dare  I  ?  The  princess  is  sternly  opposed  to  duelling. 
Under  the  late  Prince  Thaddeus  it  was  frightfully  preva 
lent  ;  Poles  and  Muscovites  were  for  ever  challenging  and 
fighting  each  other.  After  her  accession  Zabern  carried 
a  bill  making  the  duels  a  penal  offence." 

"  And  yet  the  duke,  though  aware  of  this,  gives  a 
challenge !  Humph  !  law-maker,  law-breaker !  And  what 
are  the  penalties  for  infringing  the  law  ?  " 

"  Imprisonment  for  principals  and  seconds  alike.  If 
one  should  fall  the  survivor  is  to  be  put  on  his  trial  for 
murder.  You  are  between  the  devil  and  the  deep  sea, 
Paul.  If  the  duke  should  win,  you  die ;  if  you  should  win, 
you  die  all  the  same  at  the  hands  of  the  Czernovese  law, 
unless  you  take  to  immediate  flight." 

What  a  picture  was  suggested  by  these  last  words ! 
The  duke  lying  dead,  Barbara  in  mourning,  and  himself 
red-handed,  flying  from  justice!  And  yet  there  seemed 
no  way  out  of  the  affair  consistent  with  a  soldier's  honor. 

"  Listen,  Paul,  I  have  the  ear  of  the  princess.  A  word 
from  me  as  to  what  is  about  to  happen,  and  —  " 

"  Would  you  have  the  duke  point  at  me  as  the  craven 
who  shirked  a  fight  by  creeping  behind  the  skirts  of  the 
princess,  and  begging  for  protection  ?  Anything  but  that ! 
But  Noel,  you  must  not  lose  the  favor  of  the  princess  on 
my  account.  Let  me  find  some  other  second." 

"  No,  Paul,  I  were  no  true  friend,  if  I  did  not  stand  by 
you  in  this  affair.  Here  comes  Baron  Ostrova,  the 
duke's  secretary,  and  presumably  his  second,  since  he  has 
usually  acted  as  such  in  Bora's  affaires  d'honneur.  What 
instructions,  Paul  ?  " 

"  This  evening.    At  six.     Sabres.    To  the  death." 

And  Paul  went  on  smoking  as  quietly  as  if  a  duel  were 
an  everyday  event  with  him. 


109 


CHAPTER    III 

A    MENACE    FROM    THE    CZAR 

IN  an  ante-chamber  of  the  Vistula  Palace  sat  Count 
Radzivil,  premier  of  Czernova,  in  company  with 
Marshal  Zabern,  the  Warden  of  the  Charter;  and 
the  Charter  being  the  palladium  of  Czernovese  liberty, 
the  custody  of  that  sacred  document  carried  with  it  a 
high  distinction,  second  only  to  that  of  the  premiership. 

The  two  ministers  were  waiting  to  communicate  to 
the  princess  the  contents  of  an  important  despatch,  which 
had  just  arrived  from  the  Czernovese  ambassador  at  St. 
Petersburg;  for  Czernova,  be  it  known,  though  but  a 
small  state,  was  nevertheless  sufficiently  wealthy  to  main 
tain  an  embassy  at  the  three  courts  with  which  its  inter 
ests  came  most  in  contact,  namely,  St.  Petersburg, 
Vienna,  and  Berlin. 

The  only  other  occupants  of  the  apartment  were  two 
silent  chamberlains,  standing  like  statues  before  the  fold 
ing  doors  of  the  audience-chamber,  each  dressed  in  white 
pantaloons  and  silk  stockings,  and  each  decorated  with 
the  silk  wand  of  office. 

Ladislas  Zabern  was  a  man  of  fine  soldierly  presence, 
with  limbs  that  seemed  carved  from  oak  and  soldered 
with  iron.  Courage  was  indelibly  stamped  upon  his  face. 
He  was  fifty-three  years  of  age,  and  though  his  dark  hair 
and  moustaches  were  streaked  with  gray,  he  had  lost  none 
of  the  energy  of  youth. 

A  sabre-cut  marked  his  left  cheek,  for  he  had  known 
fighting  from  early  days.  There  was  a  legend  current 
among  his  admirers  —  and  they  numbered  every  man 

no 


A  Menace  from  the  Czar 

with  Polish  blood  in  his  veins  —  that  in  childhood  he  had 
been  taken  by  his  father,  a  patriotic  noble,  to  the  sacra 
mental  altar,  and  made  to  swear  that  he  would  be  the 
life-long-  enemy  of  Russia. 

Be  that  as  it  may,  his  fiery  youth  had  been  spent  in 
vain  attempts  to  procure  the  emancipation  of  Poland 
from  the  Russian  yoke,  and,  as  a  result,  he  had  made 
acquaintance  with  that  indispensable  adjunct  to  Mus 
covite  civilization,  Siberia.  Chains  and  hardships,  how 
ever,  had  not  soured  his  nature,  as  the  good-humored 
twinkle  in  his  eye  sufficiently  proved. 

He  was  the  sword  and  buckler  of  Czernova,  unceas 
ingly  vigilant  in  guarding  this  last  fragment  of  Poland 
both  against  open  aggression  from  without,  and  also 
against  secret  disaffection  from  within. 

The  Muscovites  of  the  principality  who  regarded  him 
as  an  incarnation  of  the  devil  had  some  shadow  of  reason 
on  their  side ;  for  though  Zabern  was  naturally  of  a 
frank  and  open  disposition,  the  web  of  political  circum 
stances  had  forced  him  to  be  crafty  and  subtle. 

Czernova,  being  but  a  small  state,  was  dependent  for 
its  freedom,  not  upon  strength  of  arms  but  upon  the  arts 
of  diplomacy,  and  in  those  arts  Zabern  was  without  a 
rival.  Prince  Metternich  and  Count  Nesselrode  came  off 
second-best  when  they  played  their  game  with  the  Polish 
patriot. 

No  man  ever  wore  the  mantle  of  Ananias  with  more 
ease  and  grace,  and  when  rebuked  half-playfully,  half- 
seriously  by  the  princess  for  some  brilliant  piece  of  de 
ception,  calculated  to  make  the  most  daring  diplomatist 
stand  aghast,  he  would  merely  reply :  "  The  truth  is, 
your  Highness,  each  of  us  was  trying  to  deceive  the 
other ;  I  happened  to  be  the  greater  liar  of  the  two,  and 
so  I  succeeded.  With  two  empires  like  Austria  and 
Russia  pressing  upon  our  borders  and  endeavoring  to 
annex  us,  it  would  be  folly  to  act  on  the  lines  of  the 

in 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

Sermon  on  the  Mount.  We  '11  wait  till  they  set  us  the 
example.*' 

It  was  only  natural  that,  as  a  refugee  from  Siberia,  he 
should  be  an  object  of  hatred  to  the  bureaucracy  of  St. 
Petersburg,  and  extradition  having  failed  to  secure  his 
person,  recourse  was  had  to  darker  methods,  and  Zabern 
had  come  to  regard  attempts  upon  his  life  as  all  in  the 
day's  work. 

Such  was  Marshal  Zabern,  the  leading  member  of  the 
Czernovese  ministry,  for  Radzivil's  premiership  was 
purely  nominal.  None  knew  better  than  the  count  him 
self  that  he  had  been  selected  by  the  princess  mainly  to 
gild  the  cabinet  with  a  famous  historic  name. 

Radzivil  had  been  narrating  to  the  marshal  the  in 
cident  of  the  fracas  between  Paul  and  the  Duke  of 
Bora. 

To  the  premier's  surprise  Zabern  received  the  news 
with  an  air  of  grim  satisfaction. 

"  Why,  count,  this  is  manna  from  heaven.  Have  you 
told  the  others  ?  "  he  added,  meaning  by  that  expression 
the  rest  of  the  ministry. 

"  Yes,  and  the  opinion  of  one  and  all  is  that  the  prin 
cess  must  be  called  upon  to  intervene." 

Zabern  smiled  with  the  air  of  one  who  should  say,  "  A 
parcel  of  old  women !  " 

"  Count,"  he  said,  assuming  an  authoritative  manner, 
"  this  duel  must  take  place.  The  good  of  the  state  re 
quires  it." 

"  The  cabinet  connive  at  the  breaking  of  the  law !  Im 
possible  !  It  is  our  duty  to  inform  her  Highness  without 
delay,  unless,"  added  the  premier,  "  unless  you  can  give 
good  reason  for  acting  otherwise." 

"  Well,  I,  Zabern,  forbid  you,"  laughed  the  marshal 
good-humoredly.  "  Won't  that  reason  suffice  you, 
count  ?  " 

Ere  the  premier  could  reply,  the  chiming  of  a  silver 
112 


A  Menace  from  the  Czar 

bell  in  the  audience-chamber  announced  that  the  princess 
was  ready  to  receive  her  visitors. 

The  chamberlains  flung  wide  the  open  doors. 

"  Remember,"  said  Zabern,  in  a  somewhat  stern  whis 
per,  "  not  a  word  of  this  duel  to  the  princess." 

And  the  perplexed  Radzivil,  always  guided  by  the  ad 
vice  of  his  colleague,  gave  a  reluctant  assent. 

The  two  ministers  entered  the  White  Saloon,  —  a  hall 
so  called  from  its  pure  white  decorations  relieved  with 
gold. 

At  a  table  sat  the  fair  princess  who  now  bore  the  name 
of  Natalie,  but  in  earlier  days  that  of  Barbara. 

She  looked  up  with  a  bright  smile,  and  motioned  the 
two  councillors  to  a  seat  at  her  table. 

Zabern  was  her  favorite  minister,  and  he  on  his  part 
was  ready  to  sacrifice  his  life  to  advance  her  interests  and 
happiness.  It  was  this  sentiment  which  made  him  look 
askance  at  her  intended  marriage  with  the  duke.  With 
doubts  of  its  wisdom  even  as  a  political  expedient,  he  had 
no  doubts  at  all  as  to  the  private  unhappiness  that  would 
result  from  the  union  of  such  an  ill-assorted  pair. 

Therefore,  he,  Zabern,  would  prevent  it ;  and  matters 
that  day  seemed  to  be  favoring  his  design. 

"  You  come  at  an  unusual  hour,  my  lords,  presumably, 
therefore,  with  important  tidings  ?  " 

"  From  the  grand  liberticide,"  remarked  Zabern. 

"  Our  representative  at  St.  Petersburg,"  remarked  the 
premier,  taking  some  papers  from  his  despatch-box,  "  re 
ports  that  at  an  ambassadorial  ball  given  at  the  Winter 
Palace  a  few  nights  ago  the  Emperor  Nicholas  walked 
up  to  him,  and  in  a  severe  voice,  obviously  intended  to 
be  heard  by  the  whole  assembly,  exclaimed :  '  Is  it  true, 
sir,  that  the  Princess  of  Czernova  has  become  a  convert  to 
the  Catholic  Faith?'" 

"  So  my  secret  has  transpired  at  last !  "  smiled  Barbara. 
"  Well,  it  matters  little.  It  would  have  become  public 
8 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

knowledge  soon,  inasmuch  as  my  coronation  must  take 
place  in  a  Latin  cathedral." 

"  Of  course  the  reply  of  our  representative  was  that 
he  could  give  no  answer  till  he  had  received  instructions 
from  the  princess." 

"  What  said  the  Czar  to  this  ?  " 

"  '  We,'  "  replied  Radzivil,  reading  from  the  despatch, 

'  we  shall  send  an  envoy  to  remind  the  princess  that 
her  coronation-oath  requires  assent  to  the  Greek  Faith.' 
Your  Highness,  the  Czar  speaks  truly.  Czernova  must 
be  governed  according  to  its  Charter,  and  as  the  Charter 
fixes  the  words  of  the  coronation-oath,  we  cannot  deviate 
from  them  without  violating  the  conditions  upon  which 
autonomy  was  ceded  to  us.  I  would  that  we  could  send 
word  to  deny  the  truth  of  your  conversion.  Cannot," 
continued  the  premier,  fixing  a  wistful  look  upon  the  face 
of  the  young  princess,  "  cannot  your  Highness  be  per 
suaded  to  return  to  your  early  faith  ?  " 

"  My  early  faith,"  murmured  Barbara  to  herself,  "  has 
never  changed."  And  then  aloud  she  added,  "  Why, 
count,  would  you  have  me  change  my  faith  as  lightly  as 
I  change  my  mantle  ?  " 

Zabern,  though  a  Catholic  himself,  and  that  mainly  be 
cause  the  Czar  was  a  Greek,  was  nevertheless  a  politician 
before  all  things,  and  he  here  intervened  with  a  charac 
teristic  suggestion. 

"  Since  your  Highness  has  not  yet  publicly  avowed 
yourself  a  Catholic,  you  are  free  to  deny  that  you  are 
one.  Act  diplomatically.  Publicly  attend  the  services  of 
the  Greek  basilica;  privately  have  your  own  oratory  in 
the  palace  here.  The  Pope  will  doubtless  grant  you  a  dis 
pensation  to  this  effect." 

"  No  more  such  counsel,  I  pray  you,"  said  Barbara, 
coldly.  "  I  am  a  Catholic,  not  a  Jesuit." 

"  Your  Highness  corrects  me  with  admirable  judg 
ment,"  returned  Zabern,  who  made  a  point  of  always 

114 


A  Menace  from  the  Czar 

agreeing  with  his  sovereign,  for  by  such  course  he  usu 
ally  contrived  to  secure  his  own  way  in  the  end. 

"  Our  representative  proceeds  to  say,"  remarked  the 
premier,  referring  again  to  his  despatch,  "  that  the  Czar's 
words  and  manner  were  regarded  by  all  the  ambassadors 
present  as  a  distinct  menace  to  your  Highness.  '  The  an 
nexation  of  the  principality,'  and  'Finis  Czernovce'  passed 
from  lip  to  lip." 

"  Czernova  has  survived  many  similar  threats,"  said 
Barbara  disdainfully. 

"  It  is  the  contention  of  the  Czar  and  his  ministers," 
pursued  the  premier,  "  that  as  a  Catholic  your  Highness 
is  precluded  from  reigning.  We  would  not  alarm  your 
Highness  unnecessarily,  but  we  cannot  disguise  the  fact 
that  we  are  approaching  a  very  grave  crisis." 

"  Be  it  so,"  replied  Barbara,  firmly.  "  My  faith  is 
dearer  to  me  than  crown  or  life.  I  shall  not  change  it 
to  please  the  Czar." 

Radzivil  looked  the  picture  of  melancholy  at  this 
avowal. 

"  As  the  Czar  has  promised  to  send  an  envoy,"  re 
marked  Zabern,  "  your  Highness  will,  of  course,  delay 
your  answer  till  his  arrival  ?  " 

To  this  Barbara  assented. 

"  And  in  the  interval,"  smiled  Zabern  cynically,  —  he 
was  never  happier  than  when  opposing  Russian  designs, 

"  we  will  set  the  jurists  to  work  to  discover  whether 
they  cannot  put  upon  the  coronation-oath  an  interpreta 
tion  different  from  that  taken  by  the  Czar.  We  will  ap 
peal  to  the  decision  of  the  other  Powers ;  they  being  in 
terested  in  opposing  Russian  aggrandizement  will  readily 
lay  hold  of  any  ambiguity  in  the  wording  of  the  oath." 

After  a  brief  interval  of  silence  the  princess,  knitting 
her  brows  into  a  frown,  said,  — 

"  How  comes  the  Czar  to  be  aware  of  that  which  I  re 
vealed  to  my  cabinet  under  pledge  of  secrecy  ?  " 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

The  two  ministers  interchanged  significant  looks. 

"  The  statement  we  are  about  to  make,"  began  Rad- 
zivil,  "  is  of  so  distasteful,  so  startling  a  character  that  we 
have  hitherto  withheld  it  from  your  Highness,  hoping 
that  it  might  prove  false.  In  vain,  however.  We  can  no 
longer  blind  ourselves  to  the  fact  that  there  is  a  traitor  in 
the  cabinet." 

"A  traitor!  "  ejaculated  Barbara. 

"  Reluctantly  we  are  forced  to  this  conclusion.  Secrets 
discussed  in  the  privacy  of  our  council-chamber  have  been 
reported  to  the  ministers  of  the  Czar.  The  previous  let 
ters  of  our  ambassador  leave  no  doubt  on  this  melancholy 
question." 

Here  the  premier  began  to  read  various  extracts,  all 
tending  to  prove  his  statement. 

"  One  of  my  own  ministers  secretly  corresponding  with 
the  Czar !  "  murmured  Barbara  in  dismay.  "  Who  is 
the  traitor !  Whom  do  you  suspect,  my  lords  ?  "  turning 
sharply  upon  her  ministers. 

"  I  know  not  in  the  least  at  whom  to  point  the  finger," 
replied  the  premier. 

A  smile  flickered  over  Zabern's  face,  and  he  murmured 
to  himself,  "  Blind  Radzivil !  " 

"You  suspect  some  one,  marshal?"  said  Barbara, 
reading  his  looks. 

"  Your  Highness,  I  do,  but  prefer  to  verify  my  sus 
picions  ere  stating  them.  I  will  say  this  much,  how 
ever,"  continued  Zabern,  bending  forward  over  the  table 
and  speaking  in  a  whisper,  "  he  whom  I  suspect  is  not 
one  of  the  '  Transfigured.'  " 

The  princess  seemed  somewhat  relieved  by  this  last 
statement. 

"  My  spies  are  attentive  to  the  traitor's  movements," 
continued  Zabern.  "  Nay,  more ;  I  have  his  emissary 
under  lock  and  key  in  the  Citadel." 

"You  refer  to  the  man  Russakoff?"  asked  Radzivil. 

116 


A  Menace  from  the  Czar 

"  Yes.  I  am  convinced  that  he  is  the  intermediary  of 
this  treasonable  correspondence,  and  nothing-  but  her 
Highness's  clemency  prevents  me  from  learning  the  name 
of  his  principal." 

"  My  clemency  ?    How  ?  "  asked  Barbara  in  surprise. 

"  The  rack  would  soon  make  him  confess." 

"  Oh !  no,  marshal,"  returned  the  princess,  quickly. 
"  No  prisoner  shall  be  put  to  the  torture  during  my 
regime.  I  am  trying  to  civilize  Czernova.  The  rack 
would  indeed  be  a  return  to  barbarism." 

"  Then  we  must  fall  back  upon  our  secretary,  Trevisa, 
and  pray  the  saints  that  he  will  unravel  that  cipher  de 
spatch.  It  may  give  us  the  clue  we  want." 

"A  traitor  in  the  cabinet!"  murmured  Barbara.  " Rus 
sia's  arm  is  long  and  crafty;  when  will  it  be  stayed? 
That  desire  of  our  hearts,  a  war  betwixt  England  and 
Russia,  seems  as  far  off  as  ever." 

"  Nearer  than  men  think,"  returned  Zabern.  "  And 
strange  to  say,  our  capital  contains  at  the  present  moment 
an  Englishman  whose  words  may  have  the  effect  of  bring 
ing  it  about." 

"  Who  is  this  potent  personage  ?  "  asked  Barbara  in 
surprise. 

"  A  certain  Captain  Woodville,  lately  returned  from 
India." 

Zabern  had  been  apprised  by  Radzivil  of  the  duke's 
suspicion  as  to  a  former  love-affair  between  the  princess 
and  this  English  captain,  and  therefore  while  speaking 
he  watched  Barbara  with  an  eye  ready  to  detect  the  slight 
est  change  in  her  manner.  But  the  princess  showed  no 
confusion  of  face  at  the  mention  of  the  name  "  Wood 
ville,"  and  the  marshal  was  forced  to  the  conclusion  that 
the  duke  was  laboring  under  an  error.  Or,  he  mur 
mured  to  himself,  "  the  princess  knows  well  how  to  hide 
her  feelings." 

"Woodville?  Woodville?"  repeated  Barbara  pensively; 

117 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

and  then  her  face  brightening,  she  added,  "  Surely  not 
the  Woodville  of  Tajapore  renown?" 

"  The  very  same,"  replied  Radzivil.  "  He  is  staying 
at  the  Hotel  de  Varsovie.  I  had  a  —  a  brief  conversation 
with  him  this  morning." 

At  this  moment  the  premier  received  from  Zabern  a 
look  which  warned  him  to  say  as  little  as  possible  con 
cerning  that  interview. 

"The  siege  of  Tajapore!"  said  the  princess.  "Ah! 
that  was  a  noble  defence.  Would  four  hundred  of  our 
men  have  done  the  like,  think  you,  Zabern?"  and  with 
out  waiting  for  reply  she  turned  to  Radzivil  and  asked : 
"  Did  you  inquire  of  Captain  Woodville  how  long  he 
intends  to  remain  in  Czernova?" 

"  His  stay  will  be  very  brief,  I  fear,"  replied  Radzivil, 
thinking  of  the  duel  and  its  probable  issue. 

"  Very  long,  you  mean,"  said  Zabern  in  a  grim  whis 
per  to  the  premier,  "  for  you  believe  he  '11  never  quit 
Czernova." 

"  I  should  like  to  see  this  illustrious  Englishman  ere 
he  departs.  Count,  you  must  arrange  for  an  audience." 

And  the  count,  knowing  that  he  was  conniving  at  a 
breaking  of  the  law  which  would  probably  end  in  the 
death  of  this  same  Englishman,  felt  extremely  uncom 
fortable,  and  but  for  the  presence  of  his  colleague,  would 
certainly  have  revealed  the  whole  truth. 

"  But  how,"  inquired  Barbara,  "  can  Captain  Wrood- 
ville's  words  bring  about  an  Anglo-Russian  War?" 
'  "  Why,  thus,"  returned  Zabern.  "  He  was  interviewed 
at  Alexandria  by  the  correspondent  of  the  English 
'  Times,'  to  whom  he  stated  his  belief  that  the  artillery 
officers  commanding  the  Afghans  in  their  attack  upon 
Tajapore  were  really  Europeans  in  disguise,  his  opinion 
being  based  upon  the  superior  way  in  which  they  handled 
their  guns.  And  of  what  nationality  they  were  is  shown 
by  the  fact  that  Russian  words  were  frequently  heard  in 

118 


A  Menace  from  the  Czar 

the  heat  of  the  melee.  Captain  Woodville  has  already 
embodied  his  views  in  despatches  which  are  now  under 
the  consideration  of  the  British  cabinet.  We  shall  soon 
have  a  troubling  of  the  diplomatic  waters.  Lord  Palmer- 
ston,  alarmed  at  the  recent  advances  made  by  Russia  in 
Central  Asia,  is  in  no  mood  to  be  trifled  with.  He  may 
seize  upon  the  siege  of  Tajapore  as  a  casus  belli.  If 
an  Anglo-Russian  war  should  come  — 

Zabern  checked  his  utterance  and  tapped  the  hilt  of 
his  sabre  significantly. 

"  Then  will  come  the  day  of  Poland's  uprising,"  said 
the  princess  with  a  heightened  color.  "  My  lords,  you 
may  withdraw." 

The  premier  of  Czernova  and  the  Warden  of  the 
Charter  rose,  bowed,  and  retired,  wending  their  way  in 
leisurely  fashion  to  the  entrance  of  the  palace. 

"  Marshal,"  said  Radzivil,  with  a  troubled  look,  "  the 
princess  seems  to  take  great  interest  in  this  Woodville  ?  " 

"  So  much  the  more  angry  will  she  be  with  the  man 
who  slays  him,"  returned  the  other,  coolly. 

"  Which  is  your  reason  for  wishing  this  duel  to  take 
place  ?  "  said  Radzivil  angrily.  "  You  seek  to  destroy 
my  favorite  scheme  of  uniting  the  princess  and  the 
duke?" 

"  Precisely;  that  is  my  object.  Her  Highness  will  cer 
tainly  be  offended  at  seeing  her  future  consort  presum 
ing  to  set  himself  above  the  law.  It  may  cause  her 
affections  to  become  alienated.  The  duke  has  walked 
nicely  into  my  net,  as  I  foresaw  he  would." 

"  What  net  ?  " 

"  The  Anti-duelling  Act,"  replied  Zabern  with  a  cyni 
cal  smile.  "  Why  was  I  so  earnest  in  getting  the  Diet  to 
pass  that  measure?" 

"  To  please  the  princess." 

"  Partly  that,  but  much  more  because  I  saw  in  the 
measure  an  opportunity  of  entangling  the  duke.  Aware 

119 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

of  his  arrogant  disposition,  I  knew  that  he,  deeming  him 
self  above  the  law,  would  soon  be  engaging  in  another 
duel.  And  my  plan  has  succeeded,"  continued  the  mar- 
shall  with  a  triumphant  chuckle.  "  This  day  the  duke  is 
pledged  to  a  duel  with  sabres.  They  fight  a  la  mort,  — 
that 's  the  best  of  it.  It 's  possible  they  may  kill  each 
other ;  if  not,  the  alternatives  are  that  the  Englishman 
will  slay  the  duke  —  and  may  the  saints  confer  that  boon 
upon  Czernova !  —  or  — 

"  Or,  which  is  far  more  likely,  the  duke  will  slay  the 
Englishman." 

"  Regrettable  that,  since  the  Englishman  is  a  fine  fel 
low,  who  deserves  a  better  fate.  In  that  case  the  duke, 
in  accordance  with  the  new  enactment,  will  have  to  stand 
his  trial  for  murder." 

Radzivil  stood  aghast.  Strange  that  he  had  not  carried 
the  matter  in  thought  so  far  as  this ! 

"  And  if  the  princess  adheres  to  the  spirit  and  the  let 
ter  of  the  law,"  continued  Zabern  with  imperturbable 
coolness ;  "  and,  as  you  know,  she  is  an  enthusiast  for 
law,  she  will  have  to  sign  the  warrant  for  the  execution 
of  her  intended  consort." 

"  Good  God !  "  gasped  the  premier. 

"  Works  out  beautifully,  does  n't  it  ?  I  intended  it 
should." 

"  Oh,  this  shall  not  be !  The  princess  must  intervene 
to  stop  this  duel.  I  will  return  at  once  and  inform 
her." 

"  Hold !  "  said  Zabern,  sternly.  "  Let  the  duke  abide 
by  his  folly  and  lose  his  bride.  If  Polish  ascendancy  is 
to  be  maintained  in  Czernova  the  duke  must  go.  Fool !  " 
he  continued  with  a  savage  flash  of  his  eyes,  and  forcibly 
detaining  the  premier  by  the  sleeve.  "  How  long,  think 
you,  shall  we  retain  office  if  Bora  once  sits  upon  the 
throne  of  the  Lilieskis?" 

They  had  now  reached  the  grand  entrance  of  the  palace. 

1 20 


A  Menace  from  the  Czar 

A  trooper  moved  forward  to  meet  them  and  stood  at  the 
salute,  apparently  wishful  to  deliver  a  message. 
"What  is  it,  Nikita?" 

"  Sire,  the  spy  Russakoff  has  escaped  from  the  Citadel." 
"  Damnation !  the  guards  shall  swing  for  this." 


121 


CHAPTER   IV 

THE    PRINCESS   AND   THE    CARDINAL 

AFTER  the  departure  of  her  two  ministers  the  Prin 
cess  Barbara,  rising  from  her  seat,  passed  through 
an  open  casement  into  the  sunlit  gardens  without ; 
the  sentinels  on  the  terrace  presenting  arms  as  she  went 
by. 

A  broad  and  noble  avenue  of  linden  trees  faced  her,  and 
here  silent  and  without  attendants  the  fair  princess 
walked,  darkly  meditating  on  the  treachery  latent  within 
her  cabinet. 

A  shadow  fell  across  her  path,  and,  raising  her  eyes, 
she  saw  before  her  a  stately  and  dignified  figure  robed  in 
splendid  scarlet  and  dainty  lace. 

It  was  Pasqual  Ravenna,  Cardinal  Archbishop  of  Czer- 
nova,  an  ecclesiastic  who  vainly  sought  to  hide  his  Italian 
origin  by  Polanizing  his  name  into  Ravenski. 

He  was  a  man  who  had  passed  his  fortieth  year,  but  he 
looked  far  more  youthful ;  and  his  clean-shaven,  hand 
some  face  was  as  clearly  sculptured  as  a  head  on  an 
antique  medallion. 

He  was  a  member  of  the  princess's  ministry,  a  perma 
nent  member,  in  fact,  for,  by  virtue  of  an  antiquated 
statute  both  the  Roman  archbishop  and  the  Greek  arch- 
pastor  were  entitled  to  hold  office  in  the  cabinet  —  an 
arrangement  that  did  not  tend  to  its  harmony.  A  favor  to 
one  was  an  affront  to  the  other ;  and  the  mild  and 
amiable  Radzivil  was  perpetually  employed  in  smoothing 
the  differences  between  them. 

Barbara's  avowal  to  the  cabinet  of  her  real  faith  had 

122 


The  Princess  and  the  Cardinal 

been  a  great  triumph  for  Ravenna  over  his  Greek  rival 
Mosco,  and  he  looked  forward  to  additional  triumphs. 
His  desire  of  bringing  all  Czernova  within  the  papal  fold 
was  known  to  all  men ;  not  so  well  known,  however,  was 
his  taste  for  amorous  intrigue,  though  a  physiognomist  on 
studying  his  countenance  would  have  said  that  Ravenna, 
like  Caesar,  never  permitted  pleasure  to  interfere  with 
ambition. 

Doffing  his  red  beretta  the  cardinal  bent  his  knee  and 
raised  the  princess's  hand  to  his  lips.  It  was  clear  at  a 
glance  that  Ravenna  was  not  a  persona  grata  with  Bar 
bara,  for  though  she  did  not  withdraw  her  hand  her  face 
assumed  a  cold  expression. 

With  an  air  of  authority  he  took  his  place  on  the  left 
side  of  the  princess,  and  began  to  pace  to  and  fro  with  her 
beneath  the  shade  of  the  linden  trees. 

"  Princess,  I  have  returned,  as  you  see,  from  the  Vati 
can,  the  bearer  of  a  missive  from  his  Holiness,  Pope 
Pius." 

He  presented  a  massive  envelope,  its  seal  stamped  with 
the  papal  keys.  But  Barbara  waved  it  aside.  She  had 
received  many  such  epistles  of  late,  and  the  novelty  was 
wearing  off. 

"  You  know  its  contents,  I  presume.  Read  it  for  me. 
What  says  his  Holiness?" 

Ravenna  broke  the  seal  and  unfolded  the  letter  which 
was  a  somewhat  lengthy  one,  and  written  in  the  choicest 
Latinity. 

;'  The  Holy  Father  greets  you  as  his  dear  daughter  in 
Christ o,  and,  as  you  are  now  firmly  established  upon  the 
throne  "  —  Barbara  could  not  repress  a  smile  in  view  of 
the  recent  menace  of  the  Czar  —  "  he  deems  that  the  time 
is  ripe  for  the  public  avowal  of  your  faith." 

"  At  last  the  Pope  and  I  are  at  one.  This  night  shall 
Radzivil  make  known  my  faith  to  the  Diet.  I  ever  loathed 
this  garb  of  secrecy  and  hypocrisy." 

123 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

"  Its  assumption  was  necessary.  The  saints  themselves 
must  bow  in  the  house  of  Rimmon  at  times." 

"  Would  that  I  could  drop  the  other  deception  and 
reign  in  my  own  name !  "  murmured  Barbara  to  herself. 

"  His  Holiness,"  proceeded  the  cardinal,  glancing  at  the 
papal  missive,  "  anticipates  the  happy  day  when  Czernova 
shall  be  purified  from  the  malaria  of  heresy  that  now 
taints  it." 

"  And  in  what  way  does  he  suggest  that  the  purificatory 
process  shall  begin  ? "  said  the  princess  with  a  slight 
frown. 

"  His  Holiness  hath  ventured  in  this  epistle  to  briefly 
indicate  the  lines  of  the  ecclesiastical  policy  to  be  observed 
within  the  principality.  We  must  begin  by  penalizing  the 
schismatic  Greeks.  The  Diet  must  pass  a  law  to  exclude 
them  from  holding  civil  offices." 

"And  create  a  rebellion!"  murmured  Barbara.  "These 
priests !  will  they  never  learn  wisdom  ?  "  And  aloud  she 
asked,  "  And  would  your  Eminence  have  me  exclude  the 
Duke  of  Bora,  my  future  consort,  both  from  the  cabinet 
and  the  Diet  ?  " 

"  Your  future  consort  ?  Alas,  princess,  I  regret  to  say 
that  the  Pope  has  again  refused  to  grant  you  dispensation 
to  marry  the  duke." 

"  We  shall  not  ask  a  third  time." 

"  Your  Highness  cheerfully  accepts  his  decision  ?  " 

"  On  the  contrary,  it  is  my  intention  to  marry  without 
the  papal  sanction.  I  must,"  she  added,  her  expression 
showing  how  hateful  to  her  was  the  thought  of  such  mar 
riage —  "I  must  conciliate  my  Muscovite  subjects." 

"  Princess,  you,  as  a  vassal  of  the  holy  Roman 
suzerain —  " 

"  By  your  leave,  Sir  Cardinal,"  exclaimed  Barbara, 
haughtily,  "  will  you  cite  the  Act  by  which  the  Diet  con 
sented  that  Czernova  should  become  a  fief  of  the  Papal 
See?" 

124 


The  Princess  and  the  Cardinal 

It  was  the  first  time  that  Barbara  had  adopted  such  a 
tone  with  Ravenna,  who  listened,  however,  without  be 
traying  surprise ;  for  he  was  one  of  those  men  whose 
outward  serenity  nothing  seems  to  disturb,  and  therein 
lay  one  of  the  secrets  of  his  power.  He  clearly  recognized 
that  a  struggle  was  impending.  The  princess,  hitherto 
compliant  with  his  will,  was  about  to  make  an  attempt  to 
shake  off  his  authority. 

"  Princess,  you,  as  a  loyal  daughter  of  the  True 
Church  — 

"  Daughter  !  that  is  a  good  word.  A  daughter  is  not  a 
slave." 

"  But  she  owes  obedience.  You  cannot  marry  the  duke, 
for  the  Holy  Father  forbids  the  union,  and  no  Catholic 
priest  dare  perform  the  ceremony  in  opposition  to  the  will 
of  Pio  Nono." 

"  There  is  one  brave  priest  in  Czernova  upon  whose 
loyalty  I  can  rely." 

"You  allude  to  the  Abbot  Faustus,  a  lawless  ecclesiastic 
who  must  learn  to  discipline  his  proud  soul.  If  your 
Highness  will  glance  at  this  missive,  you  will  note  that 
the  Pope  has  conferred  upon  me  full  jurisdiction  over  the 
Convent  of  the  Transfiguration." 

"  A  convent  whose  abbot  from  old  time  hath  been  inde 
pendent  of  the  see  of  Slavowitz !  You  will  put  Faustus  in 
a  dilemma,"  continued  Barbara  with  a  touch  of  sarcasm 
in  her  voice ;  "  he  will  not  know  which  of  the  two  Infal 
libilities  to  follow :  Pius  II.,  w7ho  granted  the  convent  its 
privileges,  or  Pius  IX.,  who  abolishes  them.  I  greatly  fear 
that  he  will  follow  the  old  Pope  in  preference  to  the  new." 

Barbara  would  have  repudiated  the  statement  that  she 
was  not  a  true  Catholic.  Nevertheless  it  is  to  be  seen  that 
her  Catholicism  like  many  other  things  in  Czernova  was 
peculiarly  sui  generis. 

"  And  your  Highness  supports  Faustus  in  his  defiance 
of  the  archbishop  ?  " 

125 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

The  princess  shrugged  her  graceful  shoulders. 

"  I  am  aware  that  your  Eminence  is  extremely  anxious 
to  regulate  the  affairs  of  that  convent,  and  that  Faustus  in 
the  exercise  of  his  ancient  rights  declines  to  admit  you 
within  his  walls.  It  is  no  concern  of  mine  if  an  abbot 
refuse  to  obey  his  archbishop." 

"  Still,  a  word  from  the  princess  would  procure  his 
instant  submission." 

"  And  that  word  shall  never  be  spoken." 

"The  Convent  of  the  Transfiguration  must  hide  strange 
mysteries  behind  its  walls  when  the  Pope's  own  nuncio  is 
denied  admission." 

There  was  on  the  part  of  the  princess  a  sudden  start, 
which  the  cardinal  accepted  as  confirmatory  of  his 
suspicion. 

"  Princess,"  he  said  with  a  smile,  "  you  are  not  yet  per 
fect  in  statecraft,  for  you  have  not  learned  the  art  of 
veiling  your  thoughts.  It  is  as  I  have  long  suspected ; 
you  have  some  secret  connected  with  that  monastery. 
Your  championing  of  Abbot  Faustus  is  not  altogether 
disinterested." 

"  Quit  me  this  theme,"  said  Barbara,  with  dignity.  "  I 
shall  not  misuse  my  authority  to  gratify  your  ambition 
by  depriving  a  brave  abbot  of  his  ancient  privileges.  In 
deed  from  this  day  forth  it  will  be  well  for  each  of  us  to 
understand  the  other,  inasmuch  as  you  seem  strangely 
disposed  to  reverse  our  respective  positions,  deeming 
yourself  the  ruler  of  Czernova,  and  myself  your  minister." 
She  paused  for  a  moment  as  if  to  collect  her  thoughts,  and 
then  resumed :  "  My  lord  cardinal,  under  strange  cir 
cumstances  you  stole  me  away  in  infancy,  deluding  my 
father  into  the  belief  that  I  had  died.  You  took  charge  of 
my  training  and  education  — 

"  With  a  view  to  your  ultimate  restoration,"  said  the 
cardinal,  bowing. 

"  True.  You  desire  to  present  the  Czernovese  with  a 

126 


The  Princess  and  the  Cardinal 

princess  who  should  be  a  Catholic,  and  not,  as  her  fore 
fathers  had  been,  a  member  of  the  Greek  faith  — 

"  A  noble  aim  !  " 

"  A  princess  who  should  be  a  willing  tool  in  the  hands 
of  the  Latin  Church.  The  first  part  of  your  scheme  has 
succeeded.  I  am  a  Catholic,  and  shall  never  break  with 
the  faith  of  my  childhood,  for  it  has  grown  dear  to  me, 
though  the  thought  that  you,  my  lord,  belong  to  the  same 
faith  might  very  well  induce  me  to  renounce  it.  But  as  to 
the  second  part  of  your  scheme  —  your  expectation  of 
finding  in  me  a  servile  instrument  ready  to  execute  every 
decree  of  the  Papal  See  is  destined  to  failure.  No  priest 
shall  dictate  to  the  daughter  of  Thaddeus.  Let  the  crosier 
submit  to  the  sceptre.  Jesuits  by  their  intolerance  con 
tributed  to  the  fall  of  old  Poland.  They  shall  not  play 
their  game  in  Czernova." 

The  cardinal  listened  with  chiding  smile,  as  if  at  the 
waywardness  of  a  pretty  child. 

"  Princess  !  princess  !  you  forget  the  tenure  by  which 
you  hold  your  crown." 

"  I  hold  my  crown,"  said  Barbara,  with  proud  flashing 
eyes,  "  by  right  of  birth." 

"  A  right  that  you  cannot  prove  without  my  witness." 

"  And  therefore  you  would  use  your  knowledge?  " 

"  To  advance  in  Czernova  the  interests  of  the  True 
Church." 

"  For  that  I  could  forgive  you.  But  have  you  no 
ulterior  aim  ?  Shall  I  unmask  the  secret  purpose  of  your 
heart?  Radzivil  made  an  unwise  choice  in  sending  you 
to  the  Vatican  to  plead  for  the  dispensation.  Were  you 
really  urgent  on  my  behalf?  " 

"  As  urgent  as  one  may  be  with  a  pope." 

"  Hypocrite ! "  said  the  princess,  turning  upon  the 
cardinal  with  a  blaze  of  scorn.  "  Can  I  not  see  you  now 
in  my  mind's  eye  whispering  in  the  ear  of  the  Pope  to 
withhold  the  dispensation?  And  why?  The  heretical 

127 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

duke  must  not  marry  the  princess,  because  the  cardinal 
would  have  her  for  his  secret  mistress.  Will  you  say  that 
I  wrong  you  by  this  thought  ?  " 

"  Princess,  you  have  rightly  divined  my  secret.  It  is 
true  that  I  love  you  — 

"  I  would  that  Zabern  could  hear  you!  "  said  Barbara 
indignantly.  "  You,  a  priest,  to  talk  to  your  princess  of 
love !  " 

It  was  significant  that  the  marshal's  name,  and  not  that 
of  Bora,  should  be  the  first  to  rise  to  her  lips. 

"  A  priest  ?  True.  Such  is  my  misfortune,  since  once 
a  priest  always  a  priest.  My  love  for  you  — 

"  Let  there  be  an  end  of  this  language,"  said  Barbara 
with  dignity.  "  It  is  treason." 

"  Nay,  princess,  listen.  I  have  loved  you  in  secret  from 
the  day  when  I  set  eyes  on  you  in  the  Dalmatian  convent. 
I  have  elevated  you  to  a  throne  partly  for  the  purpose  of 
making  you  mine,  that  you  might  taste  the  luxury  of 
power,  and,  tasting,  be  ready  to  sacrifice  anything,  even 
your  own  person,  rather  than  lose  that  power.  Aware 
of  my  love,  you  are  forming  a  plan  to  escape  me.  If  you 
should  be  deposed,  who  succeeds?  The  Duke  of  Bora  as 
next  of  kin.  Therefore  you  think  by  becoming  his  wife 
to  retain  your  rank  as  princess,  and  thus  to  foil  my  hopes. 
That  motive,  rather  than  a  desire  to  conciliate  the  Musco 
vite  faction,  urges  you  to  this  match." 

His  statement  was  perhaps  correct,  for  Barbara  did  not 
offer  any  denial  to  it. 

"  But  be  mindful  of  this :  the  duke  cares  less  for  you 
than  for  your  crown.  At  heart  he  dislikes  you,  for  he 
finds  his  solemn  dulness  an  ill  match  for  your  bright  wit. 
I  have  but  to  whisper  to  him  that  your  title  is  invalid,  and 
he  will  be  the  first  to  demand  your  deposition.  It  will  not 
be  difficult  to  prove  that  you  are  an  impostor.  The  physi 
cians  and  nurses  who  attended  the  infant  days  of  Princess 
Natalie  are  still  living.  The  simple  baring  of  your  right 

128 


The  Princess  and  the  Cardinal 

shoulder  would  prove  that,  whoever  you  may  be,  you  are 
not  that  princess.  Your  assertion  that  nevertheless  you 
are  her  elder  and  half-sister  would  be  laughed  to  scorn. 
Who  will  believe  your  word,  unsupported  by  evidence, 
that  the  late  Prince  Thaddeus  had  contracted  an  early  and 
secret  marriage?  The  whole  affair  would  be  regarded  as 
a  plot  on  the  part  of  Cardinal  Ravenna  formed  to  advance 
the  interests  of  his  Church.  Barbara  Lilieska,  I  ac 
knowledge  you  to  be  the  lawful  Princess  of  Czernova, 
but  whenever  it  shall  please  me  I  can  compel  you  to  step 
down  from  your  throne." 

Barbara  quivered  with  indignation.  She,  a  princess 
with  the  blood  of  Polish  kings  in  her  veins,  and  at  whose 
word  twenty  thousand  swords  would  flash  from  their 
scabbards,  to  be  threatened  by  an  Italian  ecclesiastic! 

She  turned  her  head  towards  the  armed  sentinels  slowly 
pacing  the  stately  terrace  of  the  palace. 

"  One  moment,  princess,  ere  ordering  my  arrest.  I  do 
not  venture  upon  this  avowal  without  safeguarding  my 
self.  Listen !  There  lives  at  the  present  moment  upon 
the  other  side  of  the  frontier  —  in  what  town  no  matter 
—  an  individual  devoted  to  my  interests.  To  him  I  have 
entrusted  the  keeping  of  three  sealed  packets.  So  soon 
as  he  shall  learn  of  my  arrest  he  will  thus  act.  One  packet 
he  will  despatch  to  the  Russian  Foreign  Minister ;  the 
second  to  the  Duke  of  Bora;  and  with  the  third  he  will 
hasten  to  the  office  of  the  '  Kolokol '  newspaper,  whose 
pro-Russian  editor,  Lipski,  will  be  but  too  delighted  to 
print  the  contents  of  that  packet ;  its  publication  will  cause 
a  stir  in  Czernova.  There  are  your  guards.  Call  them. 
Arrest  me.  Behead  me  on  the  spot  if  you  will.  But  be 
sure  of  this :  your  own  downfall  will  follow  within  seven 
days." 

Barbara  did  not  call  her  guards.  She  said  nothing,  did 
nothing. 

"  Princess,  forgive  me  for  using  the  language  of 
9  129 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

threats ;  it  is  with  reluctance  that  I  adopt  such  a  course. 
But  —  you  recognize  my  power,  and  you  know  my  love. 
Your  answer  ?  " 

"  Better  the  cloister's  quiet  shade  than  a  throne  on  such 
terms." 

"  It  is  not  the  cloister's  quiet  shade  that  you  will  see, 
but  the  interior  of  a  Russian  fortress.  In  occupying  the 
throne  of  Czernova  you  will  be  accused  of  assuming  rights 
the  reversion  of  which  belongs  to  the  Czar,  inasmuch  as 
he  is  next  heir  after  the  duke.  The  Czar  will  see  in  your 
usurpation  an  affront  to  his  dignity.  He  will  demand  that 
you  be  sent  to  Russia,  there  to  take  your  trial.  And  the 
cowardly  duke  will  comply.  You  know  how  much  '  the 
politician  in  petticoats  '  is  hated  by  the  Russian  ministry, 
and  what  justice  you  are  likely  to  receive  at  their  hands. 
When  the  black  wall  of  a  Muscovite  fortress  girdles  you 
round  forever,"  he  added  in  a  significant  whisper,  "  when 
rough  soldiers  are  your  jailers,  when  no  cry  of  yours  can 
penetrate  to  the  outer  world,  then  —  then  the  love  of  a 
cardinal  even  would  be  a  desirable  thing." 

Barbara  could  not  repress  a  feeling  of  horror  at  the 
picture  suggested  by  these  words. 

"  If  the  duke  should  rule  he  will  rule  merely  as  the 
vassal  of  the  Czar,  and  Czernova  will  become  a  province 
of  Russia.  Therefore,  consider  well  your  decision.  You 
ruin  not  yourself  only,  but  the  faithful  friends  dependent 
upon  you.  Zabern,  Radzivil,  Dorislas,  all  the  ministers 
whose  policy  has  offended  the  Czar,  will  be  delivered  up 
to  him  by  the  duke.  Czernova  will  be  overrun  by  Cossack 
soldiery,  and  placed  under  martial  law.  Her  young  men 
will  be  drafted  off  to  serve  in  the  Russian  army.  The 
university  will  be  closed,  the  Catholic  Church  persecuted. 
The  wailings  of  Czernova  will  mount  upward  to  Heaven, 
but  when  did  Heaven  ever  listen  to  the  cry  of  the  op 
pressed?  Princess,  it  is  true  I  require  of  you  a  sacrifice, 
but  it  is  a  sacrifice  meriting  the  name  of  virtue.  The  fate 

130 


The  Princess  and  the  Cardinal 

of  a  nation  hangs  upon  your  answer.  How  easy  for  you 
to  save  them  by  conferring  happiness  upon  me !  " 

He  could  not  have  employed  an  argument  more  adapted 
to  gain  his  end  than  an  appeal  to  the  welfare  of  the  people 
whom  she  loved ;  nevertheless,  it  had  altogether  failed,  as 
he  saw  by  the  sovereign  scorn  that  curved  her  lips. 

"  You  are  master  of  my  secret,  but  not  of  me.  Though 
I  err  in  bearing  the  name  of  Natalie,  I  am  nevertheless 
the  lawful  princess  of  Czernova;  and  Heaven,  being  just, 
will  maintain  me  in  my  rights.  He  sets  himself  a  hard 
task,  cardinal,  who  proposes  to  fight  against  the  truth. 
Reveal  my  story  to  the  duke  —  to  the  Diet,  to  the  whole 
principality  —  this  very  day,  if  you  will.  I  fear  you  not. 
I  will  do  nothing  to  stop  you.  I  will  wait  to  see  whether 
you  will  be  bold  enough  to  play  this  traitor's  game.  And 
when  you  have  done  your  worst  to  destroy  the  princess, 
and  failed,  then  beware  the  vengeance  of  Zabern ;  for 
though  you  fly  to  the  secret  recesses  of  the  Vatican,  and 
cling  to  the  holy  robe  of  Pio  Nono  himself,  Zabern  will 
find  and  slay  you.  There  is  my  answer  both  to  your 
threats  and  to  your  lust,  for  call  not  your  desires  by  the 
sacred  name  of  love." 

The  cardinal  gave  a  mock  bow. 

"  Princess,  I  will  not  yet  draw  the  sword  against  you, 
confident  that  time  and  reflection  will  bring  you  wisdom. 
Reign  till  your  coronation-eve,  when  I  will  return  to  this 
theme." 

His  cold  smile  gave  little  indication  of  the  volcano  of 
passion  that  was  burning  within  him.  The  sight  of  the 
distant  sentinels  alone  kept  him  from  seizing  and  holding 
Barbara  within  his  arms.  Brilliant  in  youth  and  loveli 
ness  she  tortured  him  ;  and  he  resolved  to  torture  in  turn, 
since  the  means  of  doing  so  were  at  his  disposal. 

"  Ere  I  take  my  leave,"  he  said,  "  let  me  tell  you  of  an 
event  that  took  place  this  morning.  Nay,  princess,  do  not 
turn  away.  The  story  will  interest  you  as  no  other  story 
can."  131 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

Something  in  Ravenna's  manner  compelled  Barbara  to 
pause  and  face  him  again. 

"  Princess,  prepare  yourself  for  a  surprise.  One  whom 
we  both  thought  dead  now  proves  to  be  living." 

Despite  her  loathing  of  the  cardinal,  Barbara  found 
herself  forced  to  utter  one  word,  — 

"Who?" 

"  One  whose  supposed  demise  caused  you  to  say 
that  you  would  forever  carry  a  dead  heart  within  your 
breast." 

The  princess  gave  a  great  start,  and  placed  her  hand 
upon  her  side.  With  a  foreboding  of  what  was  to  come 
she  stood  immovable,  mute,  scarcely  breathing. 

"  Isola  Sacra  was  certainly  submerged.  We  both  saw 
that.  But  ere  it  sank  the  captive  must  have  escaped,  for  a 
young  Englishman  calling  himself  Paul  Cressingham 
Woodville  put  up  last  evening  at  the  Hotel  de  Varsovie." 

Barbara  was  powerless  to  speak,  but  the  look  in  her 
eyes  was  a  language  that  plainly  said,  "  Is  it  the  same  ?  " 

The  cardinal  understood  her  silent  question. 

"  The  same.  For  verification  I  sent  to  the  Police 
Bureau  where  strangers  register  themselves.  These  little 
particulars  on  his  carte  de  scjoiir  leave  no  doubt  on  the 
matter." 

Here  Ravenna  drew  forth  a  paper  and  began  reading 
from  it.  "  '  Name :  Paul  Woodville,  formerly  Paul  Cress 
ingham.  Age :  twenty-seven.  Nationality :  English. 
Residence :  Oriel  Hall,  Kent,  England.  Religion :  An 
glican  Church.  Calling:  Captain  in  the  Twenty-fourth 
Kentish,  a  cavalry  regiment.  Object  in  visiting  Czer- 
nova:  The  pleasure  of  travelling.'  Humph  !  was  that  the 
motive  that  drew  him  here?  Princess,  do  you  mark  the 
name  Woodville?  Your  Dalmatian  hero  has  been  dis 
tinguishing  himself,  for  he  is  none  other  than  the  English 
man  who  conducted  the  defence  of  Tajapore." 

Emotion  caused  Barbara  to  sink  upon  a  marble  seat. 

132 


The  Princess  and  the  Cardinal 

She  knew  that  Ravenna  was  speaking,  but  she  heard  not 
his  words.  She  was  oblivious  of  everything,  but  the  one 
overwhelming  thought  that  Paul  was  alive,  and  at  that 
very  moment  within  her  own  city  of  Slavowitz ! 

Her  feelings  were  eloquently  testified  by  the  new  and 
radiant  light  that  came  over  her  face,  by  her  lips  parted  in 
an  unconscious  smile,  by  her  bosom  heaving  beneath  its 
foam  of  white  lace.  Never  had  the  princess  looked  so 
lovely  in  the  cardinal's  eyes  as  now.  Lost  in  a  delicious 
daze  she  was  quite  forgetful  of  his  presence,  as  he  himself 
perceived,  for  two  or  three  questions  addressed  to  her 
evoked  no  recognition. 

Her  pleasure  struck  a  pang  to  his  jealous  heart.  What 
would  he  not  have  given  to  be  the  cause  of  such  trans 
figuration?  But  though  he  could  not  create  such  joy,  he 
could  extinguish  it,  and  would ;  and  observing  that  Bar 
bara  was  awaking  from  her  day-dream,  and  endeavoring 
to  fix  her  attention  upon  him,  he  proceeded,  — 

"  Captain  Woodville  —  to  call  him  by  his  new  name  — 
saw  you  this  morning  from  the  balcony  of  the  Hotel  de 
Varsovie.     Knowing  that  you  cannot  really  be  Natalie 
Lilieska  he   will,   of  course,   conclude   that  you   are   an 
impostor." 

How  could  Paul,  ignorant  of  her  true  history,  come  to 
any  other  conclusion  ?  The  thought  sent  a  sudden  chill  to 
her  warm  feelings. 

'  These  Englishmen  pride  themselves  on  their  blunt 
honesty  and  plain  dealing.  What  will  he  think  when  he 
sees  that  in  the  sacred  matter  of  religion  you  are  acting 
the  hypocrite,  in  secret  a  Catholic,  yet  for  the  sake  of  self- 
interest  publicly  posing  as  a  Greek !  " 

Yes ;  it  was  true.  In  name  and  religion  she  was  a 
living  lie.  How  she  must  have  fallen  in  Paul's  esteem! 
Her  quickly  changing  expression  gave  pleasure  to  the 
cardinal. 

"  He  saw  the  duke  publicly  kiss  your  hand,  and  must 
133 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

thus  have  learned  of  your  betrothal.  Inquiries  as  to 
Bora's  character  must  cause  him  to  marvel  at  the  taste 
which  selects  this  Scythian  barbarian  for  your  consort." 

Every  word  went,  as  intended,  to  Barbara's  heart. 
Paul,  not  knowing  that  she  had  believed  him  dead,  must 
have  thought  himself  forgotten  by  her.  How  she  longed 
to  see  him,  to  explain  the  difficulties  of  her  position,  to  set 
matters  right  between  them  ! 

Regardless  of  what  court  officials  might  think,  she 
would  send  an  equerry  this  same  day  to  the  Hotel  de 
Varsovie  with  a  message  to  the  effect  that  the  Princess  of 
Czernova  was  desirous  of  an  interview  with  Captain  Paul 
Woodville. 

"  If  it  be  sweet  to  learn  that  the  dear  friends  whom  we 
have  long  thought  dead  are  alive,  how  bitter  it  must  be  to 
lose  them  again,  ere  we  can  have  the  opportunity  of  seeing 
them !  " 

"What  do  you  mean?" 

Barbara  did  not  speak  these  words.  The  question  was 
put  by  the  eager,  fearful  look  of  her  eyes. 

"  It  seems  that  the  duke  and  Captain  Woodville  —  I 
crave  your  Highness's  pardon,  Captain  Woodville  and  the 
duke  —  met  by  chance  on  the  balcony  of  the  Hotel  de 
Varsovie.  A  sapphire  seal  worn  by  the  Englishman  at 
tracted  the  notice  of  the  duke,  inasmuch  as  he  recognized 
it  as  a  former  gift  of  his  to  the  Princess  Natalie.  The 
Englishman  refused  to  state  how  he  came  by  its  posses 
sion,  with  the  result  that  there  is  to  be  a  duel  over  the 
matter." 

"  Mother  of  God  !  " 

But  for  her  dark  arched  eyebrows  and  dusky  glowing 
eyes,  the  princess's  face  might  have  been  taken  for  a  piece 
of  white  sculpture. 

"  It  is  to  be  no  mock  contest.  They  fight  with  sabres 
and  to  the  death." 

"  They  shall  not  fight,"  gasped  Barbara,  finding  her 

134 


The  Princess  and  the  Cardinal 

voice  at  last.  "  I  shall  send  a  troop  to  the  Ducal  Palace  to 
arrest  Bora  —  now  —  at  once.'' 

"  Too  late!  princess,"  answered  Ravenna  in  a  mocking 
voice.  "  They  fight  this  very  day,  within  an  hour  from 
now.  The  combatants  are  already  on  their  way  to  the 
rendezvous  in  the  Red  Forest.  The  swiftest  horse  of  the 
Ukraine  could  not  reach  the  spot  in  time  for  you  to  stay 
the  duel.  And  granting  that  you  should  arrive  in  time 
you  would  be  powerless ;  for,  in  order  to  avoid  breaking 
the  Czernovese  law,  Ostrova,  the  duke's  second,  has  fixed 
the  place  of  combat  on  the  Russian  side  of  the  frontier, 
where  your  authority  does  not  extend." 

White  as  the  princess's  face  was  it  grew  whiter  still  as 
Ravenna  proceeded  in  a  fierce  exultant  tone,  — 

"  You  know  the  duke's  reputation  as  a  beau  sabreur. 
Thirty  duels,  and  never  a  wound  has  he  received  in  any 
one  of  them  ;  that  is  his  record.  In  the  Czernovese  army 
are  twenty  thousand  men,  not  one  of  whom,  unless  he 
wish  for  death,  dares  face  the  duke's  deadly  blade.  You 
yourself  have  witnessed  his  feats  in  the  salle  d'artnes; 
you  have  seen  him  disarm  in  swift  succession  the  best 
fencers  among  your  officers.  —  Zabern,  Dorislas,  Miro- 
slav !  Who  can  stand  before  the  duke  ?  " 

He  paused  for  a  moment,  and  then,  pointing  to  the  sun 
shimmering  through  the  leaves  of  the  linden-trees,  he 
added,  — 

"  Princess,  ere  that  golden  orb  has  set,  your  English 
hero  will  be  lying  dead  upon  the  turf,  slain  by  the  hand 
of  the  man  whom  you  would  make  your  husband." 

Barbara  heard  no  more.  With  a  cry  of  "  O  Paul, 
Paul," — a  cry  in  which  love  and  grief  were  intermingled, 
—  she  slid  from  her  seat,  and  lay  as  one  dead  at  the  feet 
of  the  cardinal. 


135 


CHAPTER  V 

ON    THE   RUSSIAN    FRONTIER 

THE  afternoon  was  drawing  to  a  close  as  Paul 
Woodville  and  Noel  Trevisa  made  their  way  to 
the  frontiers  of  Czernova. 

From  Slavowitz  they  had  driven  in  a  troika  or  three- 
horse  car,  adopting  by  preconcerted  arrangement  a  route 
different  from  that  taken  by  Bora  and  his  second. 

Having  put  up  their  vehicle  at  a  roadside  hostelry, 
Trevisa  conducted  his  friend  to  the  place  of  assignation, 
the  path  lying  through  a  series  of  charming  woodland 
glades,  collectively  known  as  the  Red  Forest. 

"  Grand  pines !  "  remarked  Paul,  admiring  the  erect 
and  stately  columns  presented  by  these  trees. 

"  The  haunt  of  wolves  in  winter,"  observed  Trevisa. 
"  They  sometimes  devour  the  Russian  sentinels.  Who 
henceforth  shall  say  that  a  wolf  has  not  its  uses  ?  " 

Following  the  beaten  track,  they  came  to  an  extensive 
clearing. 

"  The  frontier  line  runs  somewhere  through  this  glade. 
Yes ;  there  is  the  boundary  mark." 

Trevisa  directed  Paul's  attention  to  an  upright  rectan 
gular  block  of  stone,  the  sides  of  which  fronted  the 
four  cardinal  points.  On  the  northern  face,  deeply  cut, 
were  the  letters  R-U-S-S-I-A,  and  on  the  southern  face 
C-Z-E-R-N-O-V-A. 

"  We  are  now  breathing  the  air  of  despotism,"  re 
marked  Trevisa,  as  they  left  the  stone  in  their  rear,  "  and 
unless  we  keep  a  lookout  we  may  experience  the  effects 
of  it  in  a  shot  fired  at  us  by  some  hidden  sentinel." 

136 


On  the  Russian  Frontier 

"  What  ?  Is  it  the  fashion  of  Russian  sentries  to  take 
pot-shots  at  passing  strangers  ?  " 

"  Occasionally ;  at  least,  on  this  frontier.  It  is  pur 
posely  done  to  provoke  hostilities  from  Czernova.  Ah! 
there  's  a  sentry.  I  thought  we  should  n't  advance  far 
without  meeting  one." 

There  under  the  shadow  of  the  trees,  about  a  hundred 
yards  distant,  sitting  on  horseback  with  lance  erect,  was 
a  wild-looking  Cossack,  with  Hessian  boots,  red  breeches, 
and  a  small  red  turban-shaped  cap.  He  was  chanting 
the  Russian  anthem,  and  his  voice,  mellowed  by  the  dis 
tance,  had  a  strange  plaintive  effect. 

The  sight  of  this  equestrian  was  well  calculated  to  stir 
reflection  in  Paul's  mind. 

Far,  far  away  on  the  icy  shores  of  Kamchatka  other 
Russian  sentinels  were  keeping  watch.  The  distance 
between  the  two  frontiers  was  over  six  thousand  miles 
as  the  crow  flies. 

And  this  empire,  so  colossal  in  extent,  the  very  incar 
nation  of  military  force,  was  threatening  little  Czernova, 
Barbara's  own  principality !  There  was  no  hope  of  her 
emerging  victorious  from  the  contest.  The  very  idea 
was  insanity.  She  would  be  but  as  an  infant  struggling 
in  the  hands  of  a  giant.  And  the  nations  of  Europe 
would  look  on  unmoved,  as  they  have  often  looked  on 
and  condoned  the  conquest  of  the  Weak  by  the  Strong. 
There  was  none  to  pity  or  help  her.  And  as  Paul  thought 
of  all  this  his  heart  grew  hot  within  him.  He  began  to 
feel  something  of  the  spirit  that  animated  the  Polish  pa 
triots  of  Czernova. 

Suddenly  the  Cossack  sentinel,  catching  sight  of 
strangers,  turned  his  horse's  head  in  their  direction,  and 
lowering  his  lance,  he  came  on  at  full  speed. 

On  nearing  the  two  friends  he  reined  in  his  shaggy 
steed  writh  such  quickness  as  to  throw  the  animal  almost 
on  its  haunches. 

137 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

"  Your  passport,  little  fathers  ?  " 

"  Here  is  the  universal  passport,  in  Russia  as  else 
where —  cash/'  replied  Trevisa,  displaying  some  rouble- 
notes.  "  We  come  no  farther,  and  are  here  simply  to 
fight  a  duel." 

"  A  duel !  That  's  against  the  law  of  Russia.  The 
guard-house  is  but  half-a-mile  distant  among  those  trees 
yonder,"  said  the  Cossack,  indicating  the  direction  with 
his  lance.  "  The  captain  is  a  terrible  fellow.  If  he 
should  come  this  way  he  '11  order  your  arrest  and  mine 
too." 

"  Not  he.  He  '11  be  only  too  pleased  to  witness  a  good 
fight.  Besides,  we  have  rouble-notes  for  him  also.  He 
has  his  price,  I  dare  be  sworn,  otherwise  he  would  be  a 
novelty  among  Muscovites." 

The  Cossack  reflected.  A  duel  was  a  pleasant  thing ; 
a  douceur  still  more  pleasant.  Why,  then,  seek  to  pre 
vent  the  fight?  He  would  take  his  chance  of  discovery 
at  the  hands  of  his  captain.  So  having  first  looked  cau 
tiously  round,  he  stuffed  the  rouble-notes  into  his  left 
boot  and  made  no  more  opposition. 

"  Let  the  Czernovese  slay  each  other,"  he  muttered. 
"  The  fewer  for  our  Czar  to  fight  when  the  talked-of  war 
takes  place." 

"  We  are  first  on  the  field,  it  seems,"  remarked  Tre 
visa,  referring  to  his  watch.  "  Hum !  five  minutes  yet 
to  the  appointed  time." 

Paul  having  presented  the  Cossack  with  a  cigar, 
lighted  one  himself,  and  paced  leisurely  to  and  fro, 
seemingly  far  more  at  ease  than  his  second. 

"  This  duel  is  a  very  serious  matter,"  muttered  Trevisa. 

"  One  can  die  but  once." 

"  Just  so.  If  one  could  die  half-a-dozen  times  the  first 
death  would  not  matter  much.  I,  however,  am  not  anti 
cipating  your  death,  Paul,  but  the  duke's.  You  may  be 
doing  grave  hurt  to  the  princess  by  killing  him." 

138 


On  the  Russian  Frontier 

"  How  so  ?  Have  you  not  said  that  it  would  be  a  good 
thing  if  the  princess  could  be  released  from  him?  " 

'  True ;  but  your  way  of  releasing  her  has  its  disad 
vantages.  Forget  not  that  the  duke  is  a  near  kinsman  of 
the  Czar,  and  that  at  the  present  time  the  Czar  hath  no 
great  love  for  Czernova.  If  Bora  should  fall  Nicholas 
may  accuse  the  Czernovese  cabinet  of  being  privy  to 
the  death  of  his  kinsman,  and  with  some  show  of  justice, 
inasmuch  as  Radzivil,  the  premier,  though  cognizant  of 
the  coming  duel,  has  taken  no  steps  to  prevent  it.  You 
perceive  my  meaning.  The  Czar  might  demand  an  in 
demnity  such  as  he  foreknows  that  Czernova  could  not, 
and  would  not  pay.  The  result  —  annexation  of  the 
principality." 

Paul  reflected  a  moment. 

''  The  duel  was  to  have  been  a  la  mort,  and  I  came  in 
tending  to  kill  or  be  killed,  but  your  remark  has  set  the 
matter  in  a  different  light.  I  cannot  retire  nor  apologize 
without  loss  of  honor,  yet  it  is  equally  clear  that  I  must 
do  nothing  to  the  hurt  of  the  princess.  There  's  but  one 
way  out  of  the  difficulty :  I  '11  so  wound  him  that  he  shall 
not  be  able  to  use  sword-arm  for  a  month." 

"  If  you  can  do  that  —  well,"  replied  Trevisa,  very 
much  doubting,  however,  Paul's  ability  to  make  good 
his  word,  for  was  not  John  the  Strong  the  most  expert 
swordsman  in  Czernova? 

It  was  quite  thirty  minutes  after  the  appointed  time 
when  the  Duke  of  Bora  made  his  appearance  attended 
by  his  second,  Baron  Ostrova.  They  brought  no  surgeon 
with  them,  for  Ostrova,  in  arrogant  vein,  had  declared 
that  his  principal  had  never  yet  required  one ;  and  Tre 
visa,  not  to  be  outdone  in  bravado,  had  made  the  same 
avowal  respecting  Paul. 

While  the  duke  remained  at  a  little  distance  his  second 
advanced,  gracefully  raising  his  hat  to  Trevisa. 

"  You  are  late,  baron." 

139 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

"'  Accept  our  sincere  regret.  Our  vehicle  broke  down 
on  the  way.''  Then,  adopting  a  somewhat  submissive 
air,  and  addressing  Paul  and  Trevisa  in  common,  he 
said,  — 

"  Can  we  not  terminate  this  little  matter  amicably  ? 
His  grace  is  willing  to  apologize  for  his  hasty  action  of 
this  morning." 

To  do  the  duke  justice,  it  was  not  Paul's  sword  that 
he  feared,  but  loss  of  the  princess.  During  the  course 
of  the  day  he  had  begun  to  realize  the  force  of  Radzivil's 
words,  —  that  if  the  affair  should  come  to  the  knowledge 
of  the  princess  it  might  seriously  affect  the  projected 
marriage. 

He  would,  therefore,  swallow  his  pride,  and  for  the 
first  time  in  his  career  as  duellist  cry  off  from  the  combat 
by  making  an  apology. 

"  All  's  well  that  ends  well !  "  murmured  the  delighted 
Trevisa.  "  You  '11  accept  the  amende  honorable,  Paul?  " 

But  Paul  seemed  bent  on  chastising  the  duke. 

"  It  is  pleasant  to  learn,"  he  said,  speaking  sufficiently 
loud  for  Bora  to  hear,  "  that  his  grace  realizes  that  he 
has  acted  like  a  ruffian.  '  Liar '  and  '  coward  '  were  the 
epithets  he  applied  to  me ;  his  action,  a  cane-stroke  across 
my  cheek.  And  now  does  he  deem  that  simply  to  express 
regret  will  be  a  sufficient  satisfaction  for  an  affront  of 
fered  to  the  uniform  of  the  Twenty-fourth  ?  Well,  I  will 
accept  the  apology  on  this  condition,"  continued  Paul, 
breaking  a  slender  sapling  from  a  tree  overhead  and 
leisurely  stripping  off  the  foliage,  "  that  the  duke's  cheek 
shall  receive  from  this  wand  a  stroke  similar  to  that  be 
stowed  upon  mine.  It  will  be  a  convincing  token  of  his 
repentance." 

Ostrova,  to  whom  had  been  committed  the  charge  of 
bringing  the  weapons,  smiled  satirically,  and  presented 
two  sheathed  sabres  to  Trevisa. 

"  Take  your  choice." 

140 


On  the  Russian  Frontier 

Trevisa  first  measured  the  blades,  and  finding  them  of 
equal  length  next  proceeded  to  test  their  temper;  and 
then,  having  made  his  selection,  handed  the  same  to  Paul, 
who  in  the  meantime  had  doffed  his  coat  and  vest  and 
now  stood  ready  for  the  fray. 

The  victor  in  thirty  duels,  humiliated  beyond  measure 
at  the  rejection  of  his  conciliatory  address,  did  not  wait 
for  further  preliminaries  but  snatched  the  remaining 
sabre  from  the  hand  of  Ostrova,  and  with  the  fury  of  a 
lion  darting  upon  his  victim,  he  flew  upon  Paul  as  if 
purposing  to  lay  him  hors  de  combat  at  the  first  brunt. 

But  scarcely  had  the  heavy  sabres  clashed  together, 
sparkling  in  the  rays  of  the  setting  sun,  when  there  came 
the  command,  — 

"  Let  fall  your  swords  in  the  name  of  the  law." 

The  words  were  spoken  in  a  woman's  voice,  —  a  voice 
that  sent  a  thrill  to  Paul's  heart. 

Parrying  a  thrust  from  the  duke,  Paul  took  a  swift 
backward  step,  and  while  maintaining  his  defensive  at 
titude,  contrived  to  glance  sideways. 

And  there,  beautiful  and  pale,  and  so  close  to  him  that 
he  could  see  into  her  eyes,  was  Barbara,  breathless  as  if 
from  hurrying.  From  what  quarter  she  had  so  suddenly 
sprung  none  present  could  tell.  Complete  absorption  in 
the  duel  had  prevented  them  from  hearing  her  light  foot 
fall  upon  the  turf  of  the  woodland. 

Paul  forgot  his  guard.  He  forgot  everything.  From 
sheer  surprise  his  sword  dropped  to  the  ground. 

He  looked  at  her  in  silence,  striving  to  learn  what  were 
her  feelings  towards  him.  She  gave  no  token  of  recogni 
tion.  Love  on  her  part,  if  it  existed,  was  veiled  at  present 
in  sorrowful  reproach.  In  the  light  of  that  look  how 
ignoble  seemed  his  desire  for  vengeance.  His  glance  fell 
even  as  his  sword  had  fallen.  He  had  acted,  and  know 
ingly  acted,  in  a  way  calculated  to  forfeit  her  esteem. 

A  death-like  stillness  fell  upon  the  circle  as  they  per- 

141 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

ceived  that  the  fair  princess  of  Czernova,  sternly  hostile 
to  duelling,  was  present,  a  spectator  of  their  misdeed. 
True,  she  was  but  one  maiden,  but  that  maiden  symbol 
ized  in  her  own  person  all  the  power  of  a  state. 

"  Who  first  proposed  this  duel  ?  Who  issued  the 
challenge?  " 

"  I  did,  and  with  reason." 

And  stalking  up  to  the  princess,  the  Duke  of  Bora  bent 
his  head,  and  said  in  a  fierce,  jealous  whisper,  — 

"  Cousin  Natalie,  how  comes  yon  fellow  to  be  in  pos 
session  of  the  seal  I  gave  you  ?  " 

The  princess  stepped  backward,  and  drawing  her  robe 
around  her  with  a  stately  grace,  she  exclaimed,  — 

"  It  ill  becomes  one  of  my  ministers  to  be  found  setting 
himself  above  the  law.  Marshal,  conduct  your  prisoner 
to  the  Citadel." 

Paul,  following  the  wave  of  her  arm,  perceived  that 
she  had  not  come  without  an  escort. 

On  the  Czernovese  side  of  the  frontier-stone  stood 
Marshal  Zabern  with  folded  arms,  outwardly  as  inscru 
table  as  the  sphinx,  inwardly  delighted  at  the  course 
taken  by  events. 

Some  distance  in  his  rear,  drawn  up  across  the  wood 
land  path,  the  narrowness  of  which  did  not  admit  of 
more  than  two  abreast,  was  a  posse  of  mounted  lancers 
belonging  to  the  Blue  Legion.  Fronting  these  troopers 
was  the  vehicle  evidently  used  by  the  princess  in  her 
journey  to  this  spot,  —  a  light,  elegant  droshky,  ex 
pressly  adapted  for  swift  travelling. 

And  the  Cossack  sentinel,  likewise  noting  all  this,  felt 
ill  at  ease.  The  sound  of  his  bagle  would  instantlv  have 
summoned  a  party  from  the  Russian  guard-house,  but  as 
this  might  have  led  to  the  exposure  of  his  own  partici 
pation  in  the  affair,  he  refrained  from  the  act,  and  looked 
on  in  silence. 

"  Marshal,  conduct  your  prisoner  to  the  Citadel." 

142 


On  the  Russian  Frontier 

"  You  would  arrest  me?  " 

There  was  an  emphasis  on  the  last  word  which  was 
intended  to  remind  the  princess  that  it  behoved  her  to 
consider  who  he  was.  It  was  clear  to  her  that  relying  on 
his  kinship  to  the  Czar,  he  set  little  store  By  the  law  of 
Czernova.  His  pitying  smile  cut  the  constitutionalist 
princess  to  the  quick. 

"  You  talk  bravely,  fair  cousin,  forgetful  in  whose  ter 
ritory  you  now  stand.  I  put  myself  under  the  protection 
of  this  sentry,  the  representative  of  the  Czar." 

The  duke  was  not  mending  matters  in  appealing  to  the 
Czar  for  protection  against  the  law  of  Czernova. 

"  O  silly  duke !  "  murmured  Zabern.  "  How  nicely 
you  are  playing  into  my  hands !  You  have  lost  the  prin 
cess  by  that  speech." 

The  Cossack  sentinel,  now  heartily  regretting  that  he 
had  become  compromised  by  an  affair  in  which  the  great 
one's  of  Czernova  were  involved,  nevertheless  at  the 
duke's  abjuration  rode  off  to  the  princess. 

"  What  is  this  ?  "  he  cried,  with  an  air  of  authority. 
"  Prisoner  ?  No  arrest  can  take  place  here.  Little 
mother,  you  are  standing  on  Russian  ground ;  there 
fore  —  your  passport,  signed  by  the  Russian  consul  at 
Slavowitz." 

"  Princesses  do  not  carry  passports,"  replied  Barbara 
disdainfully. 

"  Then  the  little  mother  must  retire  to  her  own  side  of 
the  frontier." 

Barbara  seemed  disposed  at  first  to  maintain  her 
ground,  but  wiser  thoughts  prevailed. 

"  You  do  but  your  duty,"  she  replied. 

And  with  this  she  retired,  and  took  her  station  by  the 
side  of  Zabern. 

"  Princess,  I  commend  your  celerity,"  smiled  the  mar 
shal.  "  I  was  five  years  in  getting  out  of  Russia,  —  you 
have  accomplished  it  in  as  many  seconds." 

143 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

Then  lowering  his  voice  to  a  whisper,  he  continued,  — 

"  We  cannot  arrest  the  duke  while  he  is  on  Russian 
ground.  Were  we  to  do  so,  this  Cossack  would  report 
the  matter.  In  their  present  mood  Russian  ministers 
would  gladly  seize  upon  the  violation  of  their  territory 
as  a  casus  belli,  and  we  don't  want  war  at  present." 

"  John  Lilieski,"  said  the  princess,  addressing  the  duke 
from  her  own  side  of  the  frontier,  "  you  will  either  re 
turn  under  guard  to  Slavowitz,  or  you  will  not  return  at 
all.  Take  your  choice  betwixt  imprisonment  during  my 
pleasure,  or  perpetual  banishment  from  Czernova." 

This  decision  from  one  whom  he  had  been  accustomed 
to  regard  as  his  affianced  bride  completely  confounded  his 
grace  of  Bora.  His  first  surprise  over,  he  proceeded  to 
take  counsel  with  his  second.  Though  they  spoke  in  low 
tones,  Paul  nevertheless  caught  a  few  words. 

'  They  dare  not  harm  you,"  said  Ostrova,  "  and  you 
will  command  more  interest,  more  sympathy,  more  power 
as  a  prisoner  in  the  Citadel  than  as  a  hanger-on  at  the 
Czar's  court." 

This  argument  seemed  to  decide  the  duke,  for  he  im 
mediately  crossed  to  the  Czernovese  side. 

"  Since  you  make  a  voluntary  surrender  of  yourself," 
said  the  princess,  "  declare  it  aloud  that  the  Russian 
sentry  may  hear  you." 

"  Of  my  own  free  will  I  enter  the  Czernovese  terri 
tory,"  said  Bora,  addressing  the  Cossack. 

"  Your  sword,"  said  Zabern. 

Though  not  as  yet  deposed  from  his  command  of  the 
army,  Bora  did  not  doubt  that  this  would  follow,  and 
that  Zabern  would  be  his  successor.  Very  bitter,  indeed, 
then,  was  his  smile  as  he  handed  the  sabre  over  to  the 
marshal. 

"  I  am  curious  to  learn,  fair  cousin,"  he  sneered,  "  the 
punishment  you  reserve  for  my  opponent,  equally  guilty 
with  myself  of  breaking  the  law." 

144 


On  the  Russian  Frontier 

'  There  is  your  escort  to  Slavowitz,"  said  Barbara 
haughtily,  pointing  to  the  posse  of  uhlans. 

And  Bora,  with  a  dark  glance  at  Paul,  walked  in  the 
direction  indicated. 

"  For  my  part,"  observed  Baron  Ostrova  airily,  "  I 
prefer  liberty.  I  shake  the  dust  of  Czernova  from  my 
feet." 

"  Forever,"  decreed  the  princess. 

"  Oh,  your  Highness,  your  reign  will  not  last  so  long 
as  that,"  replied  the  other,  with  a  peculiar  smile,  adding 
to  himself,  "  Your  reign,  my  lady,  is  but  a  question  of  a 
few  weeks." 

Taking  off  his  hat,  he  dropped  it  to  the  ground,  and 
bowed  so  low  over  it  as  almost  to  touch  the  turf  with  his 
fingers,  herein  imitating  an  old  custom  of  the  Polish  serf 
when  addressing  his  lord. 

"  I  kiss  the  feet  of  the  dainty  Lady  Natalie,"  he 
said. 

Then,  picking  up  his  hat,  the  Baron  walked  off  to  a 
little  distance,  where  he  stood  watching  the  sequel. 

Paul  longed  to  thrash  the  fellow  for  his  insolence,  but 
prudently  refrained  from  creating  a  disturbance  in  Rus 
sian  territory. 

:'  Trevisa,"  said  the  princess,  "  in  remembrance  of 
your  many  services  I  remit  the  penalty  due  by  law,  but," 
and  there  was  genuine  sorrow  in  her  tone,  "  you  lose 
your  secretaryship." 

"  Your  Highness,"  stammered  Trevisa,  his  whole 
manner  showing  how  deeply  he  felt  the  loss  of  his 
office.  "  Fine.  Imprisonment.  Any  punishment  but 
that." 

''  The  cipher,  your  Highness,"  murmured  Zabern. 
"  The  cipher  letter !  We  cannot  do  without  Trevisa." 

"  Let  me  intercede  for  him,"  said  Paul,  bending  his 
knee. 

The  princess  had  last  heard  that  voice  in  the  twilight 
10  145 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

hour  by  the  dark  blue  sea  on  the  shore  of  Isola  Sacra. 
The  memory  of  that  event  came  back  with  a  rush  that 
almost  stifled  her  breath. 

"  His  only  fault  is,"  pleaded  Paul,  "  that  he  has  been 
too  great  a  friend." 

"  To  you,  but  not  to  our  law,"  she  murmured  faintly. 
"  My  servants  must  not  be  law-breakers." 

There  was  a  brief  interval  of  silence. 

"  Your  Highness,"  said  Paul,  rising  to  his  feet,  "  I 
await  my  sentence." 

"  You  are  safe  where  you  stand,"  she  faltered. 

Her  manner  plainly  besought  him  to  remain  where  he 
was,  and  thus  relieve  her  from  a  painful  situation. 

"  I  will  not  take  advantage  of  that." 

And  by  a  few  steps  Paul  passed  from  the  jurisdiction 
of  the  Czar  to  that  of  Barbara. 

The  look  in  her  eyes  'was  like  that  of  a  fawn  at  bay. 
Love  forbade  her  to  punish  Paul,  and  yet,  while  meting 
punishment  to  others,  how,  without  bringing  reproach 
to  herself,  could  she  let  him  go  free? 

"  Your  Highness,"  intervened  Trevisa,  "  my  friend 
Captain  Woodville  has  received  extreme  provocation 
from  the  duke,  and  when  he  accepted  the  challenge,  was 
ignorant  of  the  Czernovese  law  relating  to  duelling." 

Barbara  had  heard  the  whole  story  from  Zabern  as  she 
was  whirled  along  in  the  droshky  from  Slavowitz  to  the 
frontier.  She  glanced  at  the  weal  that  disfigured  Paul's 
cheek,  and  her  anger  grew  hot  against  the  duke.  No! 
come  what  might,  she  would  not  punish  Paul. 

"  I  appeal  to  the  marshal,"  said  Trevisa  boldly, 
"  whether  he  would  not  have  taken  to  the  sword  under 
the  like  provocation." 

"  Princess,"  replied  Zabern,  "  Captain  Woodville,  as  a 
soldier,  had  no  other  course  than  to  maintain  the  honor 
of  his  queen's  uniform."  The  foolish  Barbara  became 
jealous  at  the  thought  that  Paul  should  owe  allegiance 

146 


On  the  Russian  Frontier 

to  a  lady  other  than  herself.  Lowering  his  voice  to  a 
whisper,  Zabern  continued,  "  Your  Highness  has  author 
ity  to  imprison  the  duke,  inasmuch  as  he  is  your  own 
subject;  but  you  will  be  exceeding  that  authority  if  you 
venture  to  arrest  an  English  citizen  for  an  offence  com 
mitted  on  Russian  ground.  Let  the  Russians  themselves 
see  to  it." 

The  princess  flashed  a  quick  glance  of  interrogation  at 
him. 

"  What  would  you  imply  ?  That  the  Russians  will  de 
mand  Captain  Woodville's  extradition  ?  " 

"  I  clearly  foresee  that  they  will  try  to  make  political 
capital  out  of  this  affair.  Be  sure  that  Baron  Ostrova 
will  give  them  his  version  of  it.  Always  excepting  your 
Highness  and  myself,"  continued  Zabern  with  a  grim 
smile,  "  there  is  no  one  upon  whom  the  Russian  Govern 
ment  would  more  willingly  lay  hands  than  the  English 
man  who  prevented  them  from  taking  the  Afghan  fort 
ress  of  Tajapore." 

This  reference  to  Paul's  bravery  brought  a  glow  of 
pride  to  Barbara's  cheek.  A  new  tie  seemed  to  unite 
them.  While  she  was  contending  with  Russian  intrigue 
in  one  part  of  the  world,  he  had  been  contending  with  it 
in  another. 

"  Captain  Woodville,"  she  said  aloud,  "  the  marshal 
informs  me  that  I  have  no  legal  ground  for  arresting 
you.  And  as  I  have  not  the  authority,  so  neither  have  I 
the  wish  to  punish  a  soldier  whose  name  has  become 
known  throughout  Europe." 

While  speaking,  she  had  drawn  nearer  to  him,  and 
now  with  a  face  made  more  beautiful  by  the  love  shin 
ing  from  her  eyes,  she  whispered,  "  Paul,  keep  my  secret. 
Come  and  see  me  at  the  palace.  Immediately." 

Paul's  eyes  assured  her  of  his  ready  acquiescence.  The 
princess  turned  to  depart. 

"  One  moment,  your  Highness,"  said  Paul,  humbly 
147 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

kneeling.  "  If  I,  the  principal  in  this  duel,  am  innocent, 
how  can  Trevisa,  my  second,  be  guilty?" 

:'  The  cases  are  not  the  same,''  replied  the  princess. 
"  Still,"  she  added  with  a  smile  that  brought  back  hope 
to  the  heart  of  the  ex-secretary,  "  still  my  decision  may 
not  be  irrevocable." 

Taking  the  proffered  arm  of  Marshal  Zabern,  the  prin 
cess  returned  to  her  droshky.  The  cavalcade  then  set  in 
motion  and  vanished  almost  as  mysteriously  as  it  had 
appeared ;  and  Paul  was  left  standing  there,  with  the 
overwhelming  revelation  that  Barbara's  love  towards 
him  was  unchanged. 


148 


CHAPTER    VI 

KATINA   THE    PATRIOT 

AS  Paul  and  Trevisa  emerged  from  the  woodland 
and  turned  upon  the  highroad,  there  drew  near  a 
cloaked  figure  with  steel  scabbard  clinking 
against  spurs. 

"  Marshal  Zabern !  "  exclaimed  the  ex-secretary. 
"  How  ?  Are  you  not  escorting  the  princess  to  Slav- 
owitz  ?  " 

"  I  have  a  little  matter  to  despatch  at  the  hostelry  called 
'  Sobieski's  Rest.'  Her  Highness  has  therefore  conde 
scended  to  relieve  me  from  escort-duty." 

"  Your  way  is  our  way,  for  at  that  inn  we  left  our 
troika.  Marshal  Zabern,"  continued  Trevisa,  presenting 
Paul,  "  my  friend  —  need  I  mention  his  name  ?  —  Cap 
tain  Paul  Woodville." 

"  No  man  whose  friendship  I  desire  more,"  said  Zabern, 
raising  his  plumed  helmet. 

He  had  taken  a  liking  for  Paul,  —  the  liking  of  a  brave 
soldier  for  a  compeer. 

"  I  have  always  esteemed  Englishmen,"  continued 
Zabern,  "  since  the  day  I  ran  from  them  at  Waterloo." 

"You  have  fought  under  the  great  Napoleon,  then?" 
said  Paul. 

"  For  a  brief  space.  As  a  lad  of  eighteen  I  took  part  in 
the  Moscow  campaign.  When  Napoleon  sounded  the 
tocsin  of  war  against  Russia,  who  joined  him  with  more 
enthusiasm  than  the  Poles,  eager  to  avenge  their  country's 
wrongs?  Did  not  his  emissary,  the  Abbe  de  Pradt, 

149 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

promise  at  Warsaw  that  his  imperial  master  had  deter 
mined  to  expel  the  Muscovites  from  Europe,  and  to 
replace  them  with  Poles  ?  Trusting  to  these  words,  sixty 
thousand  of  us  marched  with  the  Grand  Army  upon 
Moscow.  Heavens !  shall  I  ever  forget  the  fierce  thrill 
of  joy  that  pervaded  our  ranks  as  we  drew  rein  and  gazed 
upon  the  golden  spires  and  domes  of  the  city  of  the  Great 
Enemy,  flashing  on  the  far-off  horizon.  Yes,"  continued 
Zabern,  his  eye  kindling  at  the  recollection,  "  yes,  we  took 
their  holy  city,  so-called,  and  planted  the  Polish  eagles 
upon  the  ramparts  of  the  Kremlin,  as  our  fathers  had 
done  before  us  in  the  glorious  days  of  old." 

"  And  it  has  been  the  dream  of  the  marshal's  life," 
smiled  Trevisa,  "  to  renew  that  experience." 

'''  That  experience,  but  not  this!  " 

And  here  the  speaker  pushed  back  the  sleeve  of  his 
right  arm,  and  Paul  perceived  what  he  had  not  noticed 
before,  namely,  that  Zabern  was  minus  a  hand. 

"  You  know  the  sequel,"  continued  the  marshal.  "  We 
were  compelled  to  retire,  defeated  not  by  superiority  in 
valor,  but  by  famine  and  the  rigor  of  a  Russian  winter. 
And,  my  God !  what  a  winter  that  was !  "  continued  Za 
bern,  shivering  as  if  he  still  felt  the  effects  of  the  cold. 
"  The  frost  was  so  intense  that  it  penetrated  flesh,  sinew, 
and  bone,  rendering  the  limbs  as  white  and  brittle  as 
alabaster.  In  repelling  an  attack  of  Cossacks  I  aimed  a 
sabre-stroke  at  a  fellow's  head,  feeling  in  the  next  mo 
ment  a  curious  sensation  at  the  wrist ;  and  there,  lying 
before  me  upon  the  snow,  and  still  grasping  the  sabre- 
hilt,  was  my  own  hand.  It  had  dropped  off  at  the  joint, 
as  you  see." 

"  Good  God  !  "  cried   Trevisa. 

"  Eh  ?  well,  yes,  it  was  rather  awkward,  for  it  was  the 
right  hand,  you  see,  and  never  having  accustomed  myself 
to  employ  the  left  I  was  rendered  completely  useless  for 
the  rest  of  the  campaign.  However,  I  have  repaired  the 

150 


Katina  the  Patriot 

deficiency,  and  here  is  a  hand  as  good  as  the  lost  one," 
continued  Zabern,  holding  up  his  left  hand.  "  So  ended 
my  first  experience  with  the  Russians." 

"You  fought  them  again?"  inquired  Paul. 

"  At  many  times  and  in  many  places.  I  have  aided 
Georgians  in  the  Caucasus,  and  Turks  on  the  Danube. 
And  when  secret  tidings  came  to  me  that  Poland  was  pre 
paring  to  vindicate  its  freedom  against  the  tyranny  of  the 
viceroy  Constantine,  brother  of  the  present  Czar,  I  has 
tened  to  take  part  in  the  enterprise.  Her  Highness's 
father,  Prince  Thaddeus,  would  not  permit  Czernova  to 
be  drawn  into  the  movement ;  selfishly,  as  we  then 
thought ;  wisely,  as  we  now  perceive. 

'''  The  rising  began  at  Warsaw  in  a  conspiracy  to  seize 
the  person  of  the  Grand  Duke  Constantine.  I  was  one  of 
the  eighteen  appointed  for  the  purpose.  At  nightfall  we 
set  off  for  the  palace,  slew  the  guards,  and  penetrated  to 
the  vice-regal  bedchamber.  But  we  were  just  a  few  sec 
onds  too  late.  Roused  from  sleep  by  the  clash  of  arms, 
and  the  shouting,  Constantine  had  sprung  from  the  bed, 
thrown  a  cloak  over  himself,  and  fled  by  a  secret  staircase 
communicating  with  the  palace  gardens." 

:'  The  insurrection  failed  ?  " 

"  For  a  year  we  offered  a  gallant  resistance  to  all  the 
might  of  Russia.  But  what  can  valor  effect  against  num 
bers  ?  We  gained  victories,  and  those  great  ones  ;  but  if 
we  slew  ten  thousand  of  the  enemy  on  one  day,  there  was 
a  second  ten  thousand  to  replace  them  on  the  morrow. 
We  had  no  such  reserves  to  fall  back  upon.  And  then, 
too,  the  damned  Russians  brought  the  cholera  with  them, 
an  ally  that  proved  far  more  fatal  than  their  arms  ;  though, 
the  saints  be  praised !  it  carried  off  the  tyrant  Constan 
tine.  On  the  taking  of  Warsaw  I  became  one  of  a  band 
of  prisoners  condemned  to  march  in  chains  four  thousand 
miles  over  the  winter  snow  to  Siberia." 

"  And  you  escaped?  " 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

"  After  five  years,  and  have  found  asylum  in  Czernova. 
And  here  I  am  to-day,  fifty-three  years  of  age,  and  good 
for  a  deal  more  mischief  yet,"  continued  Zabern  with  a 
grim  twinkle  in  his  eye.  '  To  see  me  holding  the  post  of 
minister  is  gall  and  wormwood  to  the  Russians  ;  they  have 
required  my  extradition,  but  the  princess  has  resolutely 
refused  to  grant  it." 

Such  in  brief  was  the  history  of  Zabern,  and  though 
his  attempts  to  win  freedom  for  his  country  were  deserv 
ing  of  sympathy,  Paul  could  not  avoid  a  feeling  of  regret 
that  Barbara  should  have  admitted  to  her  ministry  such  a 
firebrand  as  this  patriot,  whose  undoubted  aim  was  to 
utilize  the  resources  of  Czernova  against  Russia,  should  a 
favorable  opportunity  occur. 

"  By  the  way,  Trevisa,"  said  the  marshal,  turning  to 
the  ex-secretary,  "  you  must  not  let  the  princess's  frown 
diminish  your  interest  in  the  cipher  letter  found  upon  the 
spy  Russakoff.  Read  me  that  riddle,  and  I  will  undertake 
to  restore  you  to  favor." 

"  I  fear  my  restoration  will  not  come  upon  those  terms," 
said  Trevisa,  lugubriously.  "  The  cipher  is  a  most  baf 
fling  one.  I  should  have  a  clue  if  you  could  name  the 
writer." 

"How  so?" 

'''  The  first  step  in  a  problem  of  this  sort  is  to  know  in 
what  language  the  document  is  written ;  and  of  this  I  am 
ignorant.  How,  then,  can  I  proceed?  The  principles  of 
decipherment  which  an  expert  applies  to  one  language 
fail  when  applied  to  another.  But  if  I  learn  who  the 
author  is,  and  I  discover  that  he  knows,  say,  Russian  only, 
the  inference  is  that  the  document  is  written  in  that  lan 
guage;  I  apply  certain  principles  deduced  from  a  study 
of  Russian,  and  the  result  is  decipherment.  The  knowl 
edge  that  the  writer  is  versed  in  several  languages  would, 
of  course,  enhance  the  difficulty ;  but  still,  with  time  and 
patience  success  is  certain.  Have  you  no  clue  as  to  the 
writer?"  152 


Katina  the  Patriot 

Zabern  was  silent.  He  glanced  at  Paul  as  if  wishing 
him  away. 

"  I  will  step  aside  for  a  moment,"  said  Paul. 

"  Not  so,"  replied  Trevisa.  "  Marshal,  you  can  trust 
my  friend  Captain  Woodville  as  surely  as  myself." 

"  Then  on  my  honor  as  a  soldier  I  believe  that  the  Duke 
of  Bora  was  either  the  author  or  the  recipient  of  that 
letter." 

''  The  duke !  "  cried  Trevisa  in  amazement.  "  You 
accuse  the  duke  of  holding  a  treasonable  correspondence 
with  Russia  ?  Impossible !  " 

"  Why  impossible  ?  " 

"  Is  it  reasonable  that  he  should  seek  to  subvert  the 
throne  of  a  princess  to  whom  he  is  affianced  ?  " 

Zabern  smiled  cynically. 

;'  The  duke  has  come  to  count  it  no  great  prize  to  have 
but  a  moiety  of  the  throne,  and  to  be  mated  withal  to  a 
little  lady  who  will  take  no  bidding  from  him,  and  therein 
small  blame  to  her.  The  princess  hath  ever  been  cold  to 
the  match,  and  therefore  the  duke,  doubtful  of  her  affec 
tion,  has  begun  to  play  a  double  part,  or  in  other  words,  to 
intrigue  with  Russia.  '  Dispense  with  the  princess,  and 
reign  alone  under  the  suzerainty  of  the  Czar  '  -  —  that  is 
his  secret  ambition.  What  other  conclusion  can  I  come  to, 
when  I  see  him  tampering  with  the  Czernovese  army? 
On  frivolous  pretexts  he  has  removed  Polish  officers  from 
their  command,  replacing  them  by  such  Muscovites  as 
have  at  heart  the  interests  of  the  Czar  rather  than  those  of 
the  princess.  Moreover,  we  have  certain  proof  that  our 
cabinet  contains  a  member  who  reveals  to  Russia  our 
secret  counsels.  You  know  the  cabinet  well,  Trevisa ; 
tell  me  whom  to  suspect.  Radzivil  ?  —  absurd !  Ra 
venna?  What  hath  a  Roman  cardinal  to  gain  by  invJting 
the  head  of  the  Greek  Church  to  take  possession  of  Czer- 
nova?  Dorislas?  Then  let  me  fall  on  my  sword's 
point,  so  certain  am  I  of  never  again  finding  faith  among 

153 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

men,  if  he  be  traitor.  Mosco,  the  Greek  Arch-pastor? 
Hum !  his  zeal  on  behalf  of  the  princess  has  perhaps  di 
minished  somewhat  since  her  conversion  to  Catholicism, 
but  he  is  more  dullard  than  villain.  Polonaski  the  Jus 
ticiary  ?  I  '11  mention  no  more.  When  we  would  discover 
the  author  of  a  crime,  we  naturally  fix  our  suspicions 
upon  the  man  who  has  most  to  gain  by  the  deed.  Judged 
by  this  test  the  duke,  and  the  duke  alone,  is  the  traitor. 
Delcndus  cst  Bora!  Czernova  will  never  be  sound  till  he 
be  gone." 

There  was  no  reply  from  Trevisa,  who  seemed  to  be 
lost  in  deep  thought.  Then  suddenly  his  eyes  lightened 
as  with  some  new  and  surprising  idea. 

"  Marshal,"  said  he  emphatically,  "  you  shall  have  a 
translation  of  that  letter  in  the  morning/' 

It  took  a  good  deal  to  surprise  the  marshal ;  nevertheless 
on  the  present  occasion  he  was  quite  confounded. 

"How?  What?"  he  cried.  "You  claim  to  have  dis 
covered  the  key  to  the  cipher,  when  but  a  minute  ago  you 
professed  ignorance  of  the  very  language  in  which  the 
letter  is  written  ?  " 

"  The  language  is  Greek,"  murmured  Trevisa,  almost 
breathless  at  his  discovery,  and  talking  more  to  himself 
than  to  his  companions.  "  Yes,  yes  ;  I  comprehend  it  all 
now.  The  most  ingenious  cipher  ever  devised.  Nothing 
but  an  accident  could  have  revealed  the  key.  You  are 
quite  correct,  marshal,  in  your  estimate  of  the  duke's 
character.  He  is  a  traitor,  and  that  letter  will  prove  it. 
I  will  work  at  it  to-night,  and  to-morrow  morning  you 
shall  have  the  result." 

"  Good !  "  replied  Zabern,  mystified,  as  was  Paul  like 
wise,  by  the  suddenness  with  which  Trevisa  had  arrived 
at  the  solution  of  a  problem  that  during  the  past  month 
had  baffled  his  wit. 

The  shades  of  twilight  were  falling  as  the  trio  drew 
near  to  "  Sobieski's  Rest,"  an  inn  so  called  because  the 

154 


Katina  the  Patriot 

greatest  of  the  Polish  kings  had  once  passed  a  night 
there.  It  was  a  spacious  and  picturesque  hostelry,  com 
posed  of  a  mixture  of  stone  and  timber,  and  shaded  by 
overhanging  birch-trees. 

Outside  the  building,  and  holding  two  horses  by  the 
bridle,  stood  the  trooper  Xikita,  Zabern's  orderly,  who  had 
been  sent  on  ahead  to  await  the  arrival  of  the  marshal. 

Bidding  him  remain  at  the  entrance,  Zabern  passed 
within,  and  led  the  two  Englishmen  to  a  private  apart 
ment  wainscotted  with  oak  and  decorated  with  elk-antlers. 

"  Poland  has  never  been  lacking  in  female  beauty," 
remarked  the  marshal  to  Paul,  "  and  I  am  about  to  pre 
sent  you  to  her  fairest  daughter  after  the  princess.  This 
inn  is  kept  by  a  friend  of  mine,  —  an  old  companion-in 
arms,  —  Boris  Ludovski  by  name,  once  a  wealthy  noble  of 
V/arsaw.  His  zeal  in  the  cause  of  Polish  liberty  has  re 
duced  him  to  the  position  of  inn-keeper.  Freedom  often 
treats  her  children  hardly.  As  this  is  a  frontier-inn,  and 
on  the  main  road  to  Warsaw,  it  often  happens  that  sus 
picious  characters  call  here  for  a  drink,  and  Boris's  pretty 
daughter,  Katina,  being  a  maiden  who  keeps  her  eyes 
open,  is  sometimes  enabled  to  supply  the  police  of  Slavo- 
witz  with  valuable  information.  Hence  my  reason  for 
coming  here  at  this  present  moment,  for  it  is  just  possible 
that  she  can  tell  me  something  of  the  spy  Russakoff  who 
escaped  from  the  Citadel  to-day.  Ah!  here  is  Katina 
herself." 

The  person  who  had  entered  was  a  typical  Polish  belle 
with  fine  dark  hair  and  flashing  eyes.  Trevisa  whispered 
to  Paul  that  she  was  a  descendant  of  Mazeppa,  the  famous 
hetman  of  the  Ukraine ;  and  certainly  there  was  that  in 
her  elastic  step,  her  fearless  glance,  her  whole  air  that 
marked  Katina  Ludovska  as  a  true  daughter  of  the 
steppes,  wild  and  untamable. 

She  was  handsomely  attired.  Over  a  snow-white 
chemisette  she  wore  a  close-fitting  dark  red  jacket,  laced 

155 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

in  front  from  neckband  to  waist ;  a  polished  black  leathern 
belt  gleaming  with  silver  bosses ;  and  a  dark  blue  skirt, 
prettily  braided  with  silver,  —  a  skirt  which,  swelling 
out  below  the  waist,  imparted  a  charming  outline  to  her 
figure.  A  pair  of  red  leather  shoes  completed  her  out 
ward  costume. 

The  marshal  saluted  her  in  Polish  fashion  by  kissing 
her  hand,  while  she  in  turn  pressed  her  lips  to  his  fore 
head.  She  gave  the  like  greeting  to  Trevisa,  who  ap 
peared  to  be  well  known  to  her,  and  this  done  she  cast  a 
glance  of  inquiry  at  the  third  comer. 

"  Paul  ?  "  she  said  with  a  pretty  pout,  after  the  marshal 
had  introduced  him,  "  why  do  you  bear  the  same  name 
as  a  Czar? " 

"  There  is  little  of  the  Czar  in  him,  however,"  remarked 
Zabern.  "  Why,  Katina,  Captain  Woodville  has  fought 
against  Russians  in  Asia." 

"  May  he  live  to  fight  against  them  in  Europe,"  said 
Katina ;  and  Paul  could  see  that  she  was  a  maiden  quiver 
ing  with  patriotism  to  her  finger-tips. 

"Amen  to  that!  "  replied  Zabern;  and  in  an  exultant 
tone  he  continued,  "  but  I  have  tidings  for  you,  Katina, 
tidings.  The  princess  and  the  duke  are  riven  asunder. 
She  has  plucked  him  from  the  cabinet,  from  the  command 
of  the  army,  and  better  still  from  her  heart.  Never  shall 
Bora  put  wedding-crown  upon  the  brow  of  the  princess. 
He  is  of  less  account  now  in  her  eyes  than  the  driven  leaf 
in  the  wind-swept  wood." 

Katina  expressed  her  delight  by  dancing  the  first  steps 
of  a  graceful  mazurka. 

"  Joy !  "  she  cried.  "  I  nevei  liked  that  our  fair  prin 
cess  should  bide  on  bolster  with  a  Russ,  and  a  Russ  who 
hath  sworn  at  the  drink  to  harness  the  Polish  nobles  to 
the  yoke  and  with  them  plough  his  fields.  And  so  John 
the  Strong  has  fallen !  How  came  it  to  pass  ?  " 

The  marshal  explained ;  and  when  Katina  learned  that 

156 


Katina  the  Patriot 

Paul  had  been  the  direct  cause  of  the  duke's  downfall  she 
no  longer  withheld  the  kiss  of  friendship. 

"  You  have  wrought  a  good  deed  for  Czernova,  and  I 
love  you  for  it,"  she  cried  impulsively,  pressing  her  lips 
to  his  forehead,  not  once,  but  twice.  And  though  Katina 
was  not  the  princess,  Paul  was  fain  to  confess  that  she 
made  a  charming  substitute. 

"  Shades  of  Kosciusko !  what  have  we  here  ?  "  cried 
Zabern,  walking  towards  a  smoke-begrimed  oil-painting 
that  hung  upon  one  of  the  walls.  "  Fie,  Katina !  you,  a 
daughter  of  Poland,  to  keep  a  portrait  of  the  Czar  —  that 
Czar  too  who  crushed  us  at  Warsaw  sixteen  years  ago, 
the  haughty,  frowning  Nicholas !  " 

"  Ah !  you  Muscovite  wolf !  "  cried  Katina,  shaking 
her  fist  at  the  picture.  "  Lying  Czar,  that  broke  his  coro 
nation-oath  to  Poland.  Where  is  the  constitution  you 
promised  us  ?  Grandson  of  an  empress  who  was  a  — 
a  — 

Katina  suppressed  the  word  that  rose  to  her  lips,  for  it 
was  not  a  pretty  epithet,  though  justly  applicable  to  the 
moral  character  of  Catherine  II. 

"  Hold !  let  the  grandmother  be !  "  interposed  Zabern. 
"  Remember  that  Catherine  gave  to  Czernova  its  Charter 
of  liberty." 

"  I  warrant  the  old  beldam  was  drunk  when  she 
granted  it." 

"  No  matter,  drunk  or  sober,  it  was  granted.  And  to 
day  we  have  that  Charter,  signed  and  sealed,  locked  in  an 
iron  chest,  secured  in  a  stone  chamber,  and  guarded  by 
soldiers  night  and  day." 

"  And  to  think,"  said  Katina,  still  on  the  subject 
of  the  portrait,  and  turning  to  the  two  Englishmen  as 
she  spoke,  "  to  think  that  your  sweet,  youthful  queen 
Victoria  should  allow  herself  to  be  embraced  and  kissed 
by  this  Muscovite  bear  when  he  parted  from  her  at 
Windsor !  " 

157 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

"  It  would  n't  do  to  attempt  the  same  with  our  princess, 
—  eh,  Katina  ?  " 

"  No.  Mild  and  gracious  as  she  naturally  is,  I  warrant 
she  would  flash  a  dagger  before  his  eyes." 

"  Since  you  hate  the  original  so,"  asked  Paul,  "  why 
display  his  portrait?  " 

"  To  draw  Russian  customers,  who  like  to  have  the  face 
of  their  little  father  looking  down  upon  them  at  the  drink. 
Why  should  I  not  levy  tribute  from  the  enemy?  Their 
kopeks  all  go  to  the  good  cause.  The  last  visitors  to 
this  room  were  Muscovites ;  hence  that  side  of  the  canvas. 
When  Polish  patriots  come  I  have  a  fairer  face  to  show. 
Behold !  " 

She  turned  the  picture,  and  lo!  on  the  back  of  the 
canvas  was  a  well-executed  portrait  of  the  regnant  Prin 
cess  of  Czernova. 

"  My  pretty  Janus !  "  laughed  Zabern.  "  You  should 
have  been  born  a  man.  What  a  statesman  you  would 
have  made !  Come,  I  know  your  love  for  the  princess. 
I  '11  reveal  a  truth  that  will  make  you  love  her  still  more. 
You  have  always  believed  her  to  be  of  the  Greek  Church ; 
learn,  now,  that  she  is  a  Catholic." 

"Are  you  not  betraying  a  state  secret?"  smiled  Trevisa. 

'  No ;  for  the  truth  is  known  to  all  Czernova,  or  will  be 
in  a  few  hours.  That  damnable  Russophile  journal,  the 
'  Kolokol,'  came  out  this  afternoon  with  a  long  article 
headed,  '  Natalie  the  Apostate  '  -  —  an  article  roundly  ac 
cusing  the  princess  of  Catholicism.  Of  course  the  charge 
is  true,  and  we  can't  deny  it." 

"  Pity  that  the  truth  should  first  be  proclaimed  in  the 
columns  of  a  slanderous  journal  rather  than  by  the  prin 
cess's  ministers  from  their  places  in  the  Diet !  How  did 
editor  Lipski  discover  the  secret?"  asked  Trevisa. 

"  How  ?     Ask  the  duke,"  replied  Zabern. 

:<  There  will  be  deep  murmurings  to-night  in  the  Mus 
covite  faubourg." 

158 


Katina  the  Patriot 

"  Which  can  soon  be  quelled  by  a  few  rounds  of  grape- 
shot,"  commented  Zabern,  who,  like  the  first  Napoleon, 
was  a  great  believer  in  the  pacificatory  virtues  of  artillery. 

"'The  princess  and  Catholicism!'"  cried  Katina.  "Let 
that  be  our  motto.  What  matters  the  defection  of  the 
Muscovites,  since  the  Poles  will  now  be  doubly  loyal." 

"  Well  said,  Katina.  Pass  me  the  vodka.  To  the  res 
urrection  of  Poland !  "  continued  Zabern,  raising  his  glass. 
"  Ah !  Katina,  when  your  father  Boris  and  myself  first 
drew  breath,  we  had  a  motherland.  Stanislaus  was  reign 
ing,  and  Poland  was  free.  To-day  what  is  she  ?  " 

"  A  lioness  in  chains  of  whom  the  keeper  is  afraid.  One 
day  the  lioness  will  break  from  her  chains,  and  then  woe 
betide  the  keeper !  " 

"  You  wonder,  perhaps,  at  Katina's  patriotism  ?  "  whis 
pered  Zabern  to  Paul.  "  You  shall  see  that  she  hath  good 
cause  for  it."  And  then  aloud  he  added :  "  What  said 
Czar  Nicholas  after  suppressing  the  rising  of  1830? 
'  Russia  hath  a  mission  to  fulfil.'  Katina,  let  the  two 
Englishmen  see  how  holy  Russia  fulfils  her  mission. 
Give  them  visible  proof.  You  know  what  I  mean." 

Paul,  entirely  ignorant  of  Zabern's  object,  wondered 
why  Katina  should  start,  and  why  she  should  cast  a  glance 
of  anguish  at  the  speaker. 

"  Do  you  seek  to  humiliate  me,  marshal  ?  " 

"  No,  I  seek  to  gain  another  sword  for  Poland,"  said 
Zabern  gravely,  with  a  significant  glance  at  Paul. 

The  ordinary  woman  might  very  well  have  hesitated  to 
comply  with  the  marshal's  request ;  but  Katina  was  no 
ordinary  woman.  She  walked  a  few  paces  off,  placed  the 
lamp  upon  the  table  in  a  suitable  position,  and  then  turn 
ing  her  back  upon  her  visitors  she  began  to  unlace  her 
jacket,  and  to  loosen  and  cast  back  the  white  linen  beneath. 
A  startling  act,  truly,  and  yet  performed  with  a  modest 
air. 

Holding  the  last  vesture  in  position  by  its  neckband,  she 

159 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

said  in  a  bitter  tone :  "  The  ignorant  have  sometimes 
complimented  me  upon  my  beautiful  figure.  See  with 
what  justice!  " 

The  vesture  dropped  from  her  hand,  and  hung  down 
ward  from  her  belt,  leaving  her  form  bared  to  the  waist. 

The  fall  of  that  linen  was  a  revelation ! 

A  sculptor  would  have  been  charmed  with  the  fair 
rounded  throat  and  white  neck.  But  the  torso  below !  It 
was  no  wonder  that  Katina  made  haste  to  hide  it  from 
view  again. 

"  Her  bosom  is  the  same,"  whispered  Zabern,  "  or 
rather  it  is  destroyed.  The  long  lash  of  the  knout  coils 
completely  round  its  victim,  you  know." 

"  The  knout !  "  cried  Paul,  thrilling  with  horror  at  the 
thought  that  such  a  dreadful  instrument  should  have  been 
applied  to  the  delicate  skin  of  a  youthful  maiden. 

If  it  had  been  Zabern's  object  to  win  Paul  over  to  the 
Polish  cause  he  had  succeeded.  The  most  eloquent  ora 
tion  against  Russian  despotism  could  not  have  wrought 
such  effect  upon  him  as  the  bared  back  of  this  silent 
maiden. 

"  As  there  is  a  God  in  heaven,  the  nation  that  does  such 
things  must  perish.  What  had  she  done  to  be  treated 
thus  ?  " 

While  Katina  was  silently  replacing  her  garments  the 
marshal  proceeded  to  whisper  her  story. 

"  Katina's  parents,  who  lived  at  Warsaw,  gave  shelter 
to  a  Polish  patriot,  and  for  this  offence  the  whole  Ludov- 
ski  family  were  banished  to  the  Uralian  mines. 

"  Here  Katina's  beauty  attracted  the  desires  of  the 
governor,  Feodor  Orloff ;  and,  sending  for  her  he  offered 
to  restore  her  family  to  liberty,  upon  what  conditions 
you  can  guess,  when  I  tell  you  that  Katina's  reply  was  a 
fierce  blow  from  her  open  palm. 

:'  The  morrow  happened  to  be  the  emperor's  birthday, 
and  Orloff  with  fiendish  malice  aforethought  had  the 

1 60 


Katina  the  Patriot 

Polish  exiles  paraded  before  him,  told  them  that  they 
would  be  free  from  work  that  day,  and  in  return  for  this 
boon  required  that  they  should  cry  '  God  save  the  Czar.' 
Some  refused,  and  among  them  the  spirited  Katina.  Here 
was  OrlofFs  opportunity.  For  disloyalty  to  the  emperor, 
Katina  was  condemned  to  receive  fifteen  strokes  of  the 
knout. 

"  Have  you  ever  seen  a  knouting  ?  No  ?  Well,  I  trust 
you  never  will,  for  it  is  not  a  pleasant  sight,  even  though 
your  nerves  be  of  iron.  I  have  been  compelled  to  witness 
many  such  scourgings  in  Siberia,  and  I  tell  you  that 
though  Dante  in  his  '  Inferno '  has  imagined  many  and 
various  tortures  for  the  damned,  none  of  them  are  equal 
to  the  agony  that  an  expert  executioner  can  elicit  with  a 
few  strokes  of  the  knout. 

"  You  must  know  that  the  victim,  his  wrist  and  ankles 
clasped  by  iron  rings,  is  fixed  to  a  sort  of  framework  set 
erect  in  the  ground  —  fixed  in  such  a  manner  that  he  can 
make  no  movement,  literally  stretched  as  an  eel's  skin  is 
stretched  to  dry. 

"  About  twenty  paces  off  stands  the  executioner,  with 
sleeves  tucked  up,  for  nothing  must  embarrass  the  free 
dom  of  his  movements.  He  holds  in  both  hands  the  in 
strument  of  punishment  —  the  knout.  This  is  a  thong  of 
thick  leather,  cut  triangularly,  an  inch  in  breadth,  from 
nine  to  twelve  feet  long,  and  tapering  to  a  point ;  this 
tapering  end  is  fixed  to  a  little  wooden  shaft  about  two 
feet  in  length. 

"  At  the  given  signal  the  executioner  advances,  his  body 
bent,  and  dragging  the  long  lash  between  his  legs.  When 
he  has  arrived  within  three  or  four  paces  of  his  victim,  he 
suddenly  raises  the  knout  above  his  head :  the  thong  flies 
into  the  air,  whistles,  descends  and  clasps  the  naked  torso 
of  the  sufferer  as  with  a  circle  of  iron.  Notwithstanding 
his  state  of  tension  the  victim  bounds  as  if  under  a  power 
ful  shock  of  galvanism,  at  the  same  time  uttering  a  shriek 
it  161 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

that,  once  heard,  can  never  be  forgotten.  My  God! 
Even  now  I  often  start  from  sleep  with  such  a  cry  ringing 
in  my  ears. 

"  In  drawing  back  the  lash  again  the  executioner  has  a 
way  of  pulling  it  along  the  edges  of  the  opened  flesh  in 
such  a  manner  as  to  widen  and  deepen  the  wound  it  has 
made. 

"  He  retraces  his  steps  and  begins  again  the  same  ma 
noeuvre  as  many  times  as  the  victim  is  condemned  to  suffer 
blows.  When  the  thong  envelops  the  body  with  its  folds 
the  flesh  and  the  muscles  are  literally  cut  into  segments, 
as  with  a  razor.  The  victim,  crimson  with  blood,  foams 
at  the  mouth  and  writhes  in  fearful  agonies. 

"  And  so  our  pretty  Katina,  nude  to  the  waist  —  but 
enough ;  you  have  imagination,  you  can  picture  the 
scene." 

Katina  herself  with  saddened  air  had  now  drawn  near 
again,  in  her  dark  eyes  a  fire  that  spoke  of  a  desire  for 
vengeance. 

"  Katina,"  said  Paul,  impulsively,  "  if  this  Feodor 
Orloff  be  still  living  tell  me  where  he  may  be  found ;  I 
will  seek  him  out,  challenge,  and  slay  him." 

"  No,  brave  Englishman,  no.  That  vengeance  belongs 
to  me.  No  one  must  rob  me  of  my  due.  And,"  she  added 
with  clenched  hand  and  stern  look,  "  the  day  is  coming. 
Fate  is  drawing  Count  Orloff  near  to  Czernova." 

"  True !  "  replied  Zabern.  "  He  has  lately  been  ap 
pointed  governor-general  of  Warsaw,  a  province  border 
ing  on  our  own." 

"  And  his  appointment  bodes  no  good  to  Czernova," 
remarked  Katina.  "  Marshal,  I  have  a  strange  tale  for 
your  ears,  —  a  tale  I  have  been  waiting  the  opportunity  to 
relate.  What  will  you  say  when  I  tell  you  that  I  have 
this  very  day  seen  the  executioner  who  knouted  me,  — 
the  minion  of  Orloff  ?  " 

"  You  are  dreaming,  Katina." 

162 


Katina  the  Patriot 

"  No,  marshal,  no.  It  is  difficult,  I  am  aware,  for  the 
knouted  person  to  see  his  executioner,  but  nevertheless  I 
contrived  to  see  the  face  of  mine,  and  what  is  more  I  have 
seen  it  again  to-day — this  afternoon — in  the  room  where 
we  now  are.  I  could  not  mistake  those  furtive  reddish 
eyes,  that  horse-shoe  mark  on  the  cheek  —  " 

"  Heavens  !  Katina,  what  are  you  saying  ?  "  interrupted 
Zabern,  with  more  excitement  than  he  usually  displayed. 
"  That  a  man  with  a  horse-shoe  mark  on  his  cheek  has 
been  here  this  afternoon?  Had  the  fellow  a  blue  caftan, 
a  red  beard,  a  trick  of  gnawing  his  finger-nails — ?" 

"  You  describe  the  very  man,  marshal." 

"  Russakoff,  as  I  live !  Your  old  executioner  and  my 
spy  one  and  the  same  person !  Can  it  be  ?  —  And  he  was 
here  this  afternoon  ?  At  what  hour  did  he  call  ?  " 

"  About   four  o'clock." 

;'  That  would  be  five  hours  ago,"  observed  Zabern, 
referring  to  his  watch.  "  He  must  have  made  his  way 
here  directly  after  escaping  from  the  Citadel,  bent  on 
crossing  the  frontier,  doubtless.  Let  me  have  your  story, 
Katina.  Would  that  you  had  told  it  me  earlier !  " 

"  This  afternoon,"  Katina  began,  "  I  was  returning 
from  a  walk,  and  on  entering  the  inn  met  my  sister, 
Juliska,  carrying  a  tray  with  two  glasses.  '  Katina/  she 
said,  '  we  have  two  very  suspicious-looking  visitors. 
They  have  asked  for  a  private  apartment  and  some  vodka. 
Carry  this  in,  and  tell  me  what  you  think  of  them.'  I  took 
the  tray  from  her  hand  and  walked  into  this  room. 

"  Two  men  were  sitting  here.  One  had  his  back  to  me ; 
facing  him  was  the  other  whom  I  recognized  in  a  moment 
as  the  man  who  had  knouted  me  at  Orenburg.  Why  I 
did  not  drop  the  tray  in  surprise,  how  I  contrived  to  check 
my  cry,  I  do  not  know ;  I  somehow  succeeded  in  repress 
ing  my  emotion." 

"  Did  not  the  villain  himself  recognize  you?" 

"  He  did  not  look  at  me  when  I  entered ;  his  attention 

163 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

seemed  wholly  absorbed  by  the  words  of  his  companion. 
While  placing  the  vodka  on  the  table  I  kept  my  head 
averted  from  my  old  enemy,  and  took  a  glance  at  the  other 
man,  but  I  failed  to  see  his  face  clearly,  for  his  hat  was 
pulled  low  over  his  brows,  and  the  collar  of  his  cloak  was 
drawn  up  almost  to  his  mouth.  It  was  this  peculiarity 
that  had  excited  Juliska's  suspicions.  The  brief  glance  I 
had  of  him  disposes  me  to  the  belief  that  he  was  a  man  far 
higher  in  the  social  scale  than  the  other." 

'  Happy  shall  he  be  that  rewardeth  thee  as  thou  hast 
served  us/  "  murmured  Zabern.  "  Why  did  you  not  call 
upon  your  father  and  brothers  to  seize  the  knouter,  and 
give  him  a  taste  of  what  he  had  made  you  suffer?  " 

"  That  idea,  marshal,  was  running  through  my  head. 
After  placing  the  vodka  upon  the  table  I  withdrew  silently 
and  quickly ;  and  while  in  the  act  of  closing  the  door  I 
caught  a  remark  uttered  by  the  man  who  had  knouted 
me." 

"  Call  him  Russakoff ;  't  will  be  simpler,"  suggested 
Zabern. 

"  Russakoff,  then  —  to  please  you.  '  You  will  not  per 
suade  me  to  return  to  Slavowitz,'  he  was  saying.  '  I  have 
no  wish  to  fall  into  Zabern's  hands  again.'  My  excite 
ment  increased,  marshal,  at  this  mention  of  your  name. 
I  resolved  to  try  to  learn  something  of  their  business 
before  giving  orders  for  their  seizure ;  and,  accordingly, 
since  they  were  seated  by  the  open  window,  beneath  which 
is  an  immense  leafy  laurel,  I  stole  outside  and  put  myself 
in  concealment  there  in  the  hope  of  overhearing  their 
words. 

'  They  conversed  in  low  tones,  but  now  and  again, 
when  their  voices  were  raised  in  evident  anger,  I  caught  a 
few  remarks. 

'  I  wonder  that  Orloff  should  employ  a  fool  like  you/ 
said  RussakofFs  companion ;  '  one  unable  to  keep  from 
the  vodka,  who  takes  part  in  a  tavern  brawl,  and  gets 

164 


Katina  the  Patriot 

himself  arrested  while  carrying  an  important  political 
document !  If  that  letter  should  be  deciphered  by  the  prin 
cess's  secretary,  it  will  lead  to  the  frustration  of  a  scheme 
by  which  the  Czar  hopes  to  gain  possession  of  Czernova, 
legally  and  quietly,  without  the  employment  of  military 
force.' ': 

"  What  ?  "  cried  Zabern.  "  Let  me  hear  that  again, 
Katina." 

Katina  repeated  her  words. 

"  Russia  to  obtain  Czernova  legally,  without  employing 
force !  In  the  devil's  name  —  how  ?  " 

Beneath  their  overhanging  brows  Zabern's  gray  eyes 
gleamed  like  polished  cannon  deep-set  within  embrasures. 

Paul  was  equally  startled  by  Katina's  words.  Was  it 
possible  that  the  Russian  bureaucrats  had  discovered  that 
the  regnant  princess  was  not  the  real  Natalie  Lilieska  ?  If 
they  could  prove  that  she  had  no  title  to  rule,  the  throne 
would  devolve  upon  the  Duke  of  Bora,  who  might  of  his 
own  free  will  resign  his  rights  to  the  Czar  Nicholas  as  the 
next  in  succession. 

Was  this  what  Russakoff's  companion  meant  when  he 
spoke  of  a  quiet  and  legal  way  of  obtaining  possession 
of  Czernova? 

Fear  seized  Paul  as  he  began  to  realize  that  the  same 
result  could  be  attained  by  assassination.  Over  the  body 
of  Barbara,  slain  by  the  dagger  of  some  Muscovite  fa 
natic,  the  Czar  might  step  to  the  throne  of  Czernova! 
Did  the  cipher-despatch  relate  to  some  such  terrible  plot? 

"  Proceed,  Katina.     Heard  you  aught  else  ?  " 

"  After  some  more  whispering  Russakoff  raised  his 
voice.  '  No ;  it 's  a  risky  business.  Besides,  what  are 
four  hundred  roubles  ?  '  -  — '  We  will  double  the  sum  if 
the  work  be  done  within  twelve  hours,'  replied  the  other. 

"  It  was  quite  clear  to  me  that  some  mischief  was 
afoot,  and,  though  desirous  of  learning  more,  I  feared 
that  if  I  waited  longer  they  might  rise  and  depart  before 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

I  should  be  able  to  have  them  seized.  I  stole  off,  sum 
moned  my  two  brothers,  but,  on  entering  the  room  —  " 

"Fire  and  brimstone!    the  birds  had  flown." 

"  You  are  not  more  vexed  than  I  was,  marshal." 

"  Were  their  glasses  empty  ?  " 

"No;    full." 

"  Ah !  they  had  caught  sight  of  you  in  hiding.  A 
pity  you  delayed  the  seizure !  You  gave  chase,  I 
presume  ?  " 

"  Marshal,  we  —  my  father,  brothers,  Juliska,  the  ser 
vants,  myself  —  ran  here  and  there ;  we  looked  in  all 
directions,  but  failed  to  discover  a  trace  of  them.  My 
father  deeming  the  matter  of  great  importance,  immedi 
ately  sent  Juliska  to  Slavowitz  to  apprise  you  of  it;  but 
evidently  you  have  not  seen  her." 

"  I  must  have  left  Slavowitz  before  she  arrived.  Ka- 
tina,  you  have  once  more  proved  yourself  a  valuable 
auxiliary  to  the  princess's  government.  So  this  spy  is 
employed  by  one  Orloff;  and  since  he  was  certainly  at 
one  time  in  the  service  of  Count  Feodor  Orloff,  and  in 
asmuch  as  he  comes  from  Warsaw,  and  is  evidently  the 
agent  of  one  high  in  authority  there,  we  doubtless  do  the 
new  governor-general  no  wrong  in  crediting  him  with 
a  plot  to  overturn  the  independence  of  Czernova.  If  so, 
there  will  be  a  double  pleasure  in  defeating  him  —  eh, 
Katina?  It  will  please  him  to  learn  that  it  was  Ludovski's 
daughter  that  foiled  his  schemes,  for  I  will  take  care  that 
he  shall  learn  it.  My  suspicions  have  become  certain 
ties.  The  duke  and  Orloff  are  leagued  together  for  the 
hurt  of  the  princess,  and  Russakoff  is  their  intermediary. 
What  is  the  '  risky  business '  that  Russakoff  deems  ill- 
paid  by  a  sum  of  four  hundred  roubles,  sum  to  be  doubled 
if  the  work  be  done  within  twelve  hours  ?  You  are  certain 
those  were  the  words,  Katina  ?  " 

"  Quite  certain,  marshal." 

"  And  the  other  man  —  who  is  he,  I  wonder  ?  —  was 

166 


Katina  the  Patriot 

trying-  to  persuade  Russakoff  to  return  to  the  city?  Has 
he  returned?  If  so,  my  spies  shall  find  him  ere  the  night 
be  past.  Trevisa,"  he  continued,  turning  to  the  ex-secre 
tary,  "  you  see  now  the  importance  of  that  secret  despatch, 
the  necessity  for  its  immediate  decipherment.  No  more 
delay  then.  To  Slavowitz,"  cried  Zabern,  rising  abruptly. 

Katina  instantly  flew  off  to  summon  the  driver  of  the 
troika  in  which  Paul  and  Trevisa  had  made  their  journey 
from  Slavowitz.  The  three  men  proceeded  to  the  en 
trance  of  the  inn  where  they  found  the  trooper  Nikita,  still 
holding'  the  two  horses,  and  seeming  as  if  he  had  not 
moved  an  inch  from  his  previous  position.  Night  had 
fallen,  and  the  stars  were  twinkling  in  a  dark  sky.  The 
bright  light  from  the  inn-door  streamed  pleasantly  across 
the  road  to  the  trees  on  the  opposite  side. 

"  Pardon  my  haste,  gentlemen,"  observed  Zabern,  "  but 
I  should  do  wrong  to  tarry  longer,  when  there  may  be 
rioting  in  the  capital.  The  princess's  conversion  to  Ro 
manism  and  the  arrest  of  the  Duke  of  Bora  are  matters 
sufficient  to  set  the  Muscovite  mind  ablaze.  I  '11  ride  on 
ahead ;  do  you  follow  with  all  speed." 

Katina  reappeared  at  this  moment,  and  the  marshal 
gallantly  kissed  her  hand  at  parting.  The  glad  light  that 
came  into  her  eyes  told  Paul  a  secret. 

"  As  I  live,"  he  murmured  to  himself,  "  our  pretty 
Katina  loves  Zabern." 

The  marshal  swung  himself  into  the  saddle,  and  the 
next  moment  with  his  steel  scabbard  swinging  beneath 
his  cloak,  he  was  galloping  towards  Slavowitz,  accom 
panied  by  his  faithful  orderly  Nikita. 

A  minute  afterwards  the  three-horsed  car  appeared  at 
the  inn-door  in  charge  of  its  istvostchik  or  driver. 

'  The  troika  is  ready,  my  little  fathers,"  he  cried. 

The  two  friends  took  their  places  in  the  vehicle,  and 
scarcely  had  they  done  so,  when  there  passed  into  the 
glow  of  light,  and  out  again  immediately,  a  man  whose 

167 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

tall  cylindrical  hat  and  black  cassock  proclaimed  him  to 
be  a  papa  or  priest  of  the  Oriental  Church. 

On  perceiving  this  ecclesiastic  the  istvostchik  made 
the  sign  of  the  cross  in  Greek  fashion,  at  the  same 
time  quitting  the  troika  and  saying  as  he  did  so : 
"  Pardon  me,  little  fathers,  but  I  dare  not  drive  you 
to-night." 

"  What  does  he  mean  ?  "  Paul  in  wonderment  asked  of 
Katina. 

"  The  poor  fellow  is  a  Muscovite,"  she  explained  with 
a  pitying  smile,  "  and  Muscovites  deem  it  a  bad  omen  to 
meet  a  priest  of  their  own  faith  when  setting  out  upon  a 
journey." 

Katina  had  spoken  truly.  All  the  inducements  and 
bribes  on  the  part  of  the  two  friends  failed  to  shake  the 
resolution  of  the  old  istvostchik. 

"  The  Muscovites  have  a  curious  way  of  honoring  their 
priesthood,"  smiled  Paul. 

"  I  have  a  troika,"  said  Katina,  "  and  since  I  have 
promised  to  fetch  my  sister  Juliska  home  from  Slavowitz 
to-night,  why  should  you  not  accompany  me  thither  ?  " 

Paul  and  Trevisa  saw  no  reason,  whatever,  why  they 
should  not  accept  the  services  of  so  fair  a  charioteer. 
Katina  accordingly  gave  an  order  to  one  of  the  inn- 
servants,  and  then  disappeared  within  the  hostelry.  She 
returned  almost  immediately,  looking  charming  in  a 
handsome  mantle  trimmed  with  fur.  At  the  same  mo 
ment  there  was  brought  round  from  the  rear  of  the  prem 
ises  a  second  troika,  which  was  certainly  a  much  finer 
vehicle  than  the  first.  It  was  lined  with  red  leather,  and 
drawn  by  three  spirited  ponies. 

"  Here  are  steeds  worthy  of  Mazeppa  himself,"  said 
Katina,  offering  each  a  sweetmeat.  "  The  Ukraine  hath 
not  their  like." 

She  laid  her  cheek  against  the  manes  of  all  three  in 
turn.  The  ponies  tossed  their  heads  and  pawed  the 

168 


Katina  the  Patriot 

ground,  evidently  as  proud  of  their  young  mistress  as  she 
was  of  them. 

"  This  is  Natalie,  and  that  Stephanie,"  she  continued 
indicating  the  two  harnessed  within  the  duga  or  wooden 
arch.  "  They  are  named  after  the  princess  and  her 
mother." 

"  And  the  third  ?  "  inquired  Paul. 

"  Oh !  she  is  for  show,  and  not  for  use ;  she  prances 
merely  without  drawing,  and  so,  being  useless,  my 
sister  has,  of  course,  called  her  Katina.  Now  if  your 
excellencies  are  ready." 

Paul  and  Trevisa  seated  themselves  in  the  vehicle  and 
since  each  declared  that  he  must  have  Katina  beside  him, 
that  maiden  was  laughingly  compelled  to  take  her  place 
between  them. 

"  Do  not  travel  to-night,  my  little  masters,"  said  the 
istvostchik  as  he  watched  these  preparations.  "  Ill-for 
tune  will  attend  you." 

Katina  gave  the  reins  a  scornful  shake. 

Trevisa  laughed  pleasantly. 

Paul  looked  grave ;  to  his  mind  there  was  something 
strangely  impressive  in  the  quiet  dignity  of  this  old  man 
as  he  stood  on  the  steps  of  the  inn-door,  his  cap  doffed 
and  his  eyes  raised  to  the  star-lit  sky. 


169 


CHAPTER  VII 

WHAT    HAPPENED    IN    RUSSOGRAD 

THOUGH  Katina  was  an  avowed  foe  of  all  Mus 
covites,  she  nevertheless  possessed  a  characteristic 
in  common  with  them,  —  a  passion  for  furious 
driving. 

With  a  stamp  of  her  pretty  red  shoes,  and  with  cries 
that  sounded  somewhat  wild  on  the  night  air,  she  urged 
the  horses  to  their  full  speed.  She  carried  a  short-handed 
whip  with  a  long  leathern  thong,  but  she  used  it  only  to 
lash  the  air. 

Amid  the  tintinnabulation  of  a  peal  of  silvery  bells 
hung  from  the  duga,  the  spirited  coursers  plunged  for 
ward,  as  if  each  were  holding  a  race  with  the  other,  Ka 
tina  handling  the  team  with  a  dexterity  that  evoked  Paul's 
admiration. 

Now  where  the  road  was  broad  she  would  spread  the 
galloping  horses  outwards  like  a  fan ;  and  now  where  its 
narrowness  seemed  to  preclude  all  possibility  of  passage, 
she  would  draw  them  together  till  they  appeared  to  oc 
cupy  the  space  of  one,  without  delaying  for  a  moment  her 
onward  rush. 

Occasionally  she  would  rise  from  her  seat  and  bend 
gracefully  forward  over  the  horses  in  an  attitude  sug 
gestive  of  a  Grecian  charioteer,  bidding  the  two  friends 
with  a  merry  laugh  to  "  Hold  fast,"  and  the  next  moment 
they  would  be  racing  down  a  steep  descent;  a  sudden 

170 


What  Happened  in  Russograd 

splash,  a  drenching  shower  of  spray,  and  ere  the  two 
friends  had  time  to  realize  that  they  were  crossing  a 
stream,  the  ponies  would  be  tugging  the  troika  up  the 
opposite  bank. 

The  marvels  performed  by  this  daughter  of  Mazeppa 
in  guiding  her  vehicle  along  the  edge  of  a  declivity,  or  in 
avoiding  some  obstacle  that  suddenly  appeared  in  her 
path,  are  past  all  belief ;  and  though  Paul  expected  every 
moment  to  see  the  troika  fall  to  pieces,  the  rapid  see-saw 
motion  which  in  some  persons  causes  all  the  sensations 
of  mal  de  mer,  was  both  novel  and  pleasant,  the  rush 
of  air  producing  an  exhilaration  of  spirits  that  quickly 
effaced  from  his  mind  the  uneasy  presentiment  caused 
by  the  words  of  the  old  istvostchik. 

"  At  this  pace  we  ought  soon  to  overtake  Marshal  Za- 
bern,"  remarked  Paul. 

"  We  are  not  following  the  same  road,"  replied  Katina. 
"  In  journeying  to  Slavowitz  I  myself  always  take  this 
route,  though  it  is  more  circuitous.  I  renew  my  patriot 
ism  when  in  sight  of  that  building." 

She  had  brought  the  troika  to  a  standstill,  and  was  now 
pointing  to  a  large  monastery  that  rose  in  solemn  mediae 
val  grandeur  at  the  distance  of  about  a  hundred  yards 
from  the  roadside. 

"  The  Convent  of  the  Transfiguration,"  said  Katina. 
"  On  some  Czernovese  monasteries  you  will  see  a  cres 
cent  beside  the  cross ;  it  is  a  sign  that  the  place  was  once 
in  the  hands  of  the  Turks.  But  the  crescent  gleams  not 
here,"  she  continued  proudly.  ''  The  pavement  of  the 
Convent  of  the  Transfiguration  has  never  been  trodden 
by  the  foot  of  pagan  or  heretical  foe.  A  strong  fortress 
as  well  as  a  monastery,  it  has  often  checked  the  march  of 
Muscovite  and  Turkish  conquest." 

A  liturgical  service  was  taking  place  in  the  convent. 
The  chant  of  the  monks  was  plainly  audible,  intermingled 
with  the  notes  of  the  organ. 

171 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

"  They  are  supplicating  for  Poland,"  said  Katina. 
"  They  pray  for  nothing  else.  Day  and  night  their  one 
cry  is,  '  How  long,  O  Lord,  how  long  ?  ' ' 

The  voices  of  the  chanting  friars  produced  a  singular, 
nay,  a  weird  impression  upon  Paul.  Paganini  himself 
could  not  have  devised  anything  more  awe-inspiring 
and  unearthly  than  the  refrain  that  now  rose  upon  the 
night  air. 

"  Some  of  the  holy  brethren,"  continued  Katina,  "  are 
men  who  were  once  in  Siberian  mines.  And  such  men ! 
If  you  thought  my  back  a  pitiable  sight,  Captain  Wood- 
ville,  what  would  you  think  if  you  could  see  some  of  the 
dreadful  forms  hidden  behind  those  walls  ?  " 

Her  words,  her  looks,  and  above  all  the  wild  plaint 
proceeding  from  the  convent,  increased  Paul's  eerie 
sensations. 

"  Come  here  what  hour  you  will  of  the  twenty-four, 
you  shall  never  miss  the  chant  of  those  monks ;  their 
prayer  never  ends." 

"  A  perpetual  service?    I  have  heard  of  such." 

"  When  our  fatherland  was  conquered  in  '95,"  con 
tinued  Katina,  "  the  then  abbot  of  yon  convent  ordained 
that  from  that  time  forth  the  brethren  should  pray  for 
no  other  thing  than  the  restoration  of  Poland. 

"  To  this  end  he  drew  up  a  liturgy  and  divided  the 
whole  body  of  the  monks  into  three  parts,  directing  that 
each  in  turn  should  recite  this  liturgy,  band  to  succeed 
band  without  a  moment's  break.  The  convent  has  never 
wanted  for  devout  men  to  consecrate  themselves  to  this 
service. 

"  Day  and  night  unceasingly  for  over  fifty  years  their 
supplication  has  been  going  up  to  the  saints  above,"  said 
Katina.  "  Is  it  not  time  their  prayer  was  answered  ?  " 

She  clasped  her  hands  and  turned  her  face  to  the  star 
lit  .heaven,  —  a  face  made  beautifully  touching  by  its 
earnestness. 

172 


What  Happened  in  Russograd 

"  Oh !  Queen  of  heaven,"  she  murmured,  "  look  down 
upon  our  country.  Give  us  the  thing  we  long  for." 

For  a  moment  she  stood  in  silent  prayer,  and  then, 
taking  up  the  reins  again,  she  began  to  urge  the  horses 
forward,  as  if  finding  in  that  act  a  relief  to  her  over 
wrought  feelings.  Once  more  the  troika  skimmed  along, 
scarcely  seeming  to  touch  the  earth,  and  the  majestic 
convent  with  mysterious  voices  faded  away  in  the 
gloom. 

"  Abbot  Faustus  still  maintains  his  attitude  of  defiance 
towards  the  new  archbishop,"  said  Trevisa  addressing 
Katina. 

"  And  he  will  ever  maintain  it,"  she  replied.  "  Be  sure 
that  Ravenna,  anathematize  as  he  may,  will  never  be  per 
mitted  to  enter  that  convent." 

"  Your  mysterious  smile,  fair  Katina,  disposes  me  to 
believe  that  you  know  the  reason  of  the  abbot's  defiance." 

"  I  do  know  it,"  asseverated  Katina,  "  but  I  must  not 
reveal  it.  Ask  the  marshal  to  make  you  one  of  the 
'  Transfigured,'  and  you  will  understand  the  mystery. 
Faster,  faster,  my  little  doves,"  she  added,  shaking  the 
whip  over  the  heads  of  her  team. 

Onward  flew  the  horses  venire  a  terre,  and  within  an 
hour  of  the  time  of  setting  out,  there  glimmered  into  view 
the  battled  walls  of  Slavowitz,  with  its  towers,  spires,  and 
domes  standing  out  in  gray  relief  against  a  background 
of  blue  sky  dimly  set  with  stars. 

"  Shall  I  take  the  Troitzka  Gate  ?  "  asked  Katina. 

Trevisa  nodded  assent. 

"  'T  will  save,  a  circuit,"  he  said,  "  and  will  serve  to 
show  my  friend  the  two  sides  of  Slavowitz.  You  have 
seen  Cracovia,  the  fashionable  suburb,"  he  added,  ad 
dressing  Paul ;  "  now  take  a  view  of  Russograd,  the 
Muscovite  quarter." 

Katina  accordingly  drove  through  an  arched  gateway, 
where,  armed  with  a  long  halbert,  stood  a  Polish  sentinel, 

173 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

who,  at  sight  of  Paul,  saluted,  mistaking  him  for  an 
officer  of  the  Blue  Legion. 

As  the  troika,  leaving  the  city  gate  behind,  rolled  for 
ward  over  the  smooth  wooden  pavement  of  the  main 
thoroughfare  known  as  the  Troitzkoi  Prospekt,  it  became 
quickly  evident  that  the  dwellers  in  this  quarter  had  be 
come  aware  both  of  the  princess's  Romanist  faith  and 
likewise  of  the  duke's  arrest,  —  matters  that  naturally 
tended  to  produce  a  state  of  great  excitement.  Indeed, 
it  looked  as  if  there  would  be  little  sleep  that  night  in 
Russograd ;  for  though  the  hour  was  late,  all  the  deni 
zens  of  the  faubourg,  men  and  women  alike,  were  abroad, 
discussing  in  shrill  tones  and  with  fierce  gesticulations 
this  latest  phase  of  Czernovese  politics.  Russians,  Tar 
tars,  Cossacks,  and  representatives  of  other  nationalities, 
who  at  ordinary  times  were  ready  to  cut  each  other's 
throats,  were  now  united  by  the  bond  of  a  common  reli 
gion  against  "  Natalie  the  Apostate." 

"  Now  the  saints  confound  these  Long-beards !  "  mur 
mured  Katina,  compelled  to  exercise  great  care  in  steer 
ing  her  course.  "  Is  it  Butter-week,  that  they  throng  so  ? 
Our  short  route  is  proving  a  long  one." 

Owing  partly  to  the  crowded  state  of  the  street,  and 
partly  to  the  condition  of  the  wooden  pavement,  which  a 
recent  shower  had  rendered  somewhat  slippery,  it  was 
impossible  for  the  vehicle  to  proceed  other  than  at  a  walk 
ing  pace,  and  thus  the  trio  could  not  fail  to  overhear  the 
remarks  made  by  some  of  the  throng. 

"  I  saw  the  duke  brought  in  through  the  St.  Florian 
Gate,"  cried  a  woman,  addressing  a  circle  of  bystanders. 

"  They  knew  better  than  to  bring  him  in  through  the 
Troitzka  Gate,"  observed  a  man  beside  her,  apparently 
her  husband.  His  face  was  disfigured  by  a  long  smear 
of  dried  blood. 

"  He  was  riding  with  downcast  eyes  in  the  centre  of  a 
troop,"  continued  the  woman.  "  And  when  my  goodman 

174 


What  Happened  in  Russograd 

cried,  '  Long  live  our  prince/  one  of  the  troopers  struck 
him  across  the  face  with  the  flat  of  his  sabre,  bidding  him 
begone  for  a  traitor.  Look  at  the  mark  of  the  sword," 
she  screamed. 

"  Yes,"  chimed  in  her  husband,  "  and  the  princess  her 
self  passed  by  a  minute  later  in  her  droshky,  and  drove 
off  to  the  Palace,  not  looking  one  whit  troubled  by  the 
thought  of  the  duke's  imprisonment." 

''  Troubled,  do  you  say?"  cried  his  wife.  "I  never 
saw  her  looking  more  glad  than  she  did  to-night.  And 
to  think  that  a  mere  girl  should  have  the  power  to  arrest 
a  big  handsome  man  like  our  Duke  John !  We  want  a 
full-grown,  bearded  soldier  to  rule  over  us,  and  not  a  silly 
maid." 

"  Especially  a  maiden  under  the  thumb  of  Cardinal 
Ravenna,"  interjected  a  bystander.  "  We  all  know  why 
she  has  imprisoned  the  duke ;  because  he  is  a  Greek,  and 
loves  the  Muscovites  and  the  great  White  Czar." 

"  And  the  princess  hates  the  Czar,"  cried  the  woman. 
'  The  shoes  she  wears  in  her  palace  are  stamped  on  the 
sole  with  the  portrait  of  our  little  father  Nicholas,  so  that 
she  may  tread  his  image  under  foot  whenever  she  walks." 

This  little  anecdote,  entirely  without  truth,  found  ready 
credence  among  the  haters  of  the  princess. 

"  She  is  removing  the  duke  from  his  command  to  make 
way  for  Zabern.  And  why  Zabern?  Because  he  is  a 
Pole,  and  a  Catholic,  and  hates  the  Muscovites." 

Amid  these  observations,  and  others  of  a  like  character, 
the  troika  moved,  its  rate  of  progress  gradually  diminish 
ing,  until  the  vehicle  was  finally  brought  to  a  standstill 
by  the  immobility  of  the  crowd  in  front,  who  either  could 
not,  or  would  not,  move  out  of  the  way. 

"  Na  pravo  —  to  the  right !  "  cried  those  on  the  left 
angrily;  while  just  as  angrily  those  on  the  right  cried, — 

"  Na  levo  —  to  the  left !  " 

Unable  either  to  advance  or  retire,  the  occupants  of  the 

175 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

troika  remained  stationary,  the  centre  of  a  crowd  evi 
dently  bent  on  mischief,  a  crowd  composed  mainly  of  the 
lower  orders,  —  or,  to  use  the  suggestive  phrase  of  the 
Russians  themselves,  the  "  Tshornoi  Narod,"  or  "  Black 
People." 

Russograd  was  at  no  time  a  safe  place  for  the  adher 
ents  of  the  princess ;  but  in  the  present  political  crisis 
the  sight  of  one  wearing,  as  they  supposed,  the  uniform 
of  her  corps  du  garde  raised  the  fanaticism  of  the  Mus 
covite  mob  to  a  dangerous  pitch.  The  three  friends  were 
ill  prepared  for  repelling  an  attack.  Paul  was  armed  with 
his  sabre  only ;  Katina  had  her  savage-looking  whip ; 
Trevisa  was  without  weapon  of  any  kind. 

Paul's  chief  fear  was  for  Katina ;  but  the  maiden  who 
had  bravely  endured  the  knout  did  not  seem  at  all  dis 
concerted  by  the  circle  of  scowling  faces. 

"  My  little  mother,  step  aside  there,"  she  cried,  toying 
with  her  whip,  and  gently  endeavoring  to  urge  the 
horses  forward.  "  Now,  old  soldier,  have  a  care." 

"  Have  a  care  yourself,"  exclaimed  a  harsh  voice  in 
front,  —  the  voice  of  a  red-bearded  individual  in  a  blue 
caftan.  "Would  you  ride  over  me?"  he  added  fiercely, 
grasping  the  bridle  of  one  of  the  horses. 

His  was  a  voice  which  Katina  had  previously  heard 
that  same  day  in  the  parlor  of  her  own  inn.  Springing 
immediately  to  her  feet,  she  looked  fearlessly  around. 

"  In  the  name  of  the  princess,"  she  cried,  "  I  call  upon 
all  loyal  citizens  of  Russograd  to  arrest  that  man  and  to 
convey  him  to  the  Citadel,  for  he  is  an  escaped  prisoner." 

"  The  more  welcome  for  that !  "  said  the  man  with  the 
bloody  smear. 

"  In  the  name  of  the  Czar,"  cried  the  spy,  "  I  call  upon 
all  loyal  citizens  of  Russograd  to  arrest  that  woman,  and 
to  convey  her  to  Orenburg,  for  she  is  an  escaped  prisoner, 
a  fugitive  from  Russian  justice.  What?"  he  continued, 
advancing  into  the  ring  of  space  around  the  troika,  "  do 

176 


What  Happened  in  Russograd 

you  not  know  Katina  Ludovska,  the  Polish  harlot  with 
whom  Zabern  takes  his  pleasures  ?  " 

Quivering  with  indignation,  Katina  leaped  from  the 
troika,  bent  on  chastising  the  insulter.  One  lash  from  the 
thong  of  her  whip  would  have  laid  open  his  cheek  as 
effectually  as  a  sabre-stroke;  but  ere  she  could  carry  out 
her  purpose,  the  more  prudent  Paul  had  laid  hand  upon 
her  belt  and  swung  her  lightly  back  again. 

"  And  do  you  not  recognize  this  fellow  ?  "  continued 
Russakoff,  pointing  to  Trevisa.  "  He  is  the  princess's 
paramour ;  private  secretary  is  the  name  used  in  court 
circles." 

A  coarse  laugh  greeted  these  words. 

'The  princess  will  never  marry  the  duke.  Why? 
Because  the  secretary  has  poisoned  her  mind  against 
him." 

The  mob  grew  more  menacing  in  their  attitude. 

Katina  laughed  defiantly. 

Trevisa  glanced  around,  wondering  what  had  become 
of  the  night  watch  appointed  to  patrol  the  streets  of 
Russograd. 

Paul,  casting  about  for  a  way  of  escape,  observed  that 
the  crowd  facing  the  horses  was  but  a  few  ranks  deep. 
If  Trevisa  and  he  put  on  a  bold  front,  while  Katina  plied 
her  whip  vigorously,  there  was  a  possibility  of  breaking 
through  the  hostile  circle.  He  whispered  this  idea  to  the 
two,  who  both  nodded  assent. 

"  Be  it  known  to  all  that  the  princess  has  arrested  our 
duke  for  duelling.  And  here,"  continued  Russakoff, 
pointing  to  Paul,  "  is  the  man  that  fought  with  him. 
Before  St.  Nicholas  I  speak  the  truth.  I  lie  not,"  he 
added,  taking  out  one  of  those  sacred  icons  which  the 
Russian  usually  carries  with  him,  and  kissing  it  as  he 
spoke.  "  The  princess  imprisons  the  duke ;  she  lets  this 
man  go  free.  Men  of  Russograd,  is  this  justice?" 

"  No!     No!  "  cried  the  mob. 

12  177 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

It  was  impossible  to  rescue  their  beloved  duke  from 
the  grim  Citadel  with  its  massive  walls  loop-holed  with 
artillery ;  it  was  impossible  to  do  hurt  to  "  Natalie  the 
Apostate  "  in  her  strong  palace,  which  the  foresight  of 
the  ministers  had  surrounded  with  a  military  cordon. 
But  here  were  persons  almost  as  obnoxious  as  the  prin 
cess  herself,  and  a  hurricane  of  yells  arose  from  all  sides, 
the  women  exhibiting  more  fury  than  the  men. 

"  Down  with  the  Jesuits !  " 

"  Drag  them  from  the  car !  " 

"  Tear  them  limb  from  limb !  " 

"  Hurl  their  bloody  heads  through  the  princess's 
windows !  " 

As  the  crowd  surged  madly  forward,  Paul  sprang  to 
his  feet,  sabre  in  hand. 

"  Now,  Katina,  now  !  Ah !  the  cowards !  "  he  muttered 
in  an  agony  of  rage,  as  a  stone  flung  by  one  of  the  mob 
caught  her  on  the  temple. 

Their  escape  seemed  a  doubtful  matter.  On  all  sides 
men,  and  women  too,  were  attempting  to  clamber  into 
the  troika,  and  dealing  blows  with  fists,  sticks,  and  knives. 
They  yapped  and  snarled  like  so  many  dogs  as  they  were 
hurled  off  again  by  the  sturdy  Englishmen,  Paul  stand 
ing  on  the  left  side  and  using  the  flat  of  his  sabre,  Tre- 
visa  on  the  right  dependent  merely  upon  the  weapons 
supplied  by  nature,  to  wit,  his  fists. 

While  this  contest  was  being  waged  Katina,  though 
dizzy  from  the  effects  of  the  stone,  bent  backwards,  and 
with  a  strength  of  wrist  marvellous  in  a  slender  maiden, 
she  pulled  the  horses  so  far  back  on  their  haunches  as  to 
cause  their  front  hoofs  to  rise  and  describe  circles  in  the 
air.  Poised  thus  she  lashed  them  with  a  savagery  justi 
fied  only  by  the  occasion,  though  even  in  that  moment  of 
peril  it  went  to  her  heart  to  ill-treat  her  favorites ;  and 
then,  with  a  warning  shout,  she  launched  the  maddened 
steeds  pell-mell  upon  the  crowd  in  front,  endeavoring 

178 


What  Happened  in  Russograd 

also  to  clear  the  way  by  striking  out  to  right  and  left 
with  her  reddened  whip. 

The  crowd  facing  the  troika  divided  like  water  cleft 
by  the  hand,  and  the  vehicle  flew  forward  with  nothing 
to  oppose  it.  A  double  line  of  faces  seemed  to  be  rushing 
by;  oaths  and  cries;  a  jolt,  occasioned  by  the  troika 
bounding  over  a  prostrate  body ;  another,  more  violent, 
which  left  a  sickening  sensation  in  the  mouth ;  and  the 
moment  afterwards  the  vehicle,  with  its  bells  wildly 
jangling,  was  clear  of  the  press  and  racing  down  the 
Troitzkoi  Prospekt,  the  very  embodiment  of  the  wind, 
followed  by  the  yells  of  the  baffled  crowd. 

"  Bravo,  Katina!  "  cried  Paul.  "  You  are  the  princess 
of  charioteers.  A  narrow  shave,  that  —  eh  Noel?" 

But,  on  turning  to  his  companion,  Paul  gave  a  cry  of 
horror.  Trevisa  lay  helplessly  on  the  seat  of  the  troika, 
his  face  as  white  as  china,  his  teeth  set  in  agony,  in  his 
eyes  an  awful  look. 

Paul's  cry  drew  Katina's  attention  to  Trevisa.  She 
immediately  pulled  up  the  horses. 

"  Mary,  mother  of  angels !  "  she  cried  in  a  tone  of 
anguish.  "  He  has  been  stabbed ;  stabbed  in  the  side !  " 

And  all  the  womanhood  of  her  nature  asserting  itself, 
she  gently  raised  Trevisa's  head,  and  pillowed  it  upon 
her  breast,  regardless  of  the  blood  that  flowed  down  her 
dress. 

"  It  was  Russakoff,"  gasped  Trevisa.  "  Paul,"  he  con 
tinued,  seizing  his  friend's  wrist.  "  Remember !  it  is  the 
furies,  the  furies  of  —  of  — 

The  act  of  speaking  brought  a  rush  of  blood  to  his 
mouth,  and  ere  he  could  finish  the  strange  utterance,  he 
was  gone. 

"  Jesu  Maria,  he  's  dead !  "  murmured  Katina  in  awe ; 
and  then,  her  mood  changing,  she  added  with  a  wild 
laugh,  "  Russakoff  has  earned  his  roubles." 

The  whole  affair  had  happened  so  quickly  that  it  was 

179 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

almost  impossible  to  believe  in  its  reality,  though  the  dead 
form  of  Trevisa  lay  there  before  their  eyes.  For  fully 
half  a  minute  Paul  stared  helplessly  at  the  silent  figure. 
Amazement  —  grief  —  horror  kept  him  mute  and  mo 
tionless  ;  then  in  a  moment  these  feelings  gave  way  to 
the  wild  desire  for  vengeance. 

"  I  '11  find  the  assassin,"  he  muttered,  springing  from 
the  troika,  "  and  sabre  him  on  the  spot,  though  I  die  the 
next  moment  for  it." 

"Would  you  go  back  among  those  wolves?"  cried 
Katina.  "  No,  no ;  they  will  kill  you  too."  She  also 
sprang  from  the  troika,  and  held  Paul  by  the  wrist.  "  In 
deed  you  shall  not  go.  Leave  the  assassin  to  Zabern. 
Zabern  will  find  him.  And  thank  heaven,  here  is  the 
marshal !  " 

As  she  spoke  the  clatter  of  horse-hoofs  was  heard,  and 
turning  in  the  direction  of  the  sound,  Paul  saw  a  troop 
of  lancers  approaching  with  Zabern  at  their  head. 

On  nearing  the  troika  the  marshal  halted  his  men, 
saluted  Paul  with  his  sword,  and  then  eying  the  crowd 
that  was  still  impotently  yelling  in  the  distance,  he 
said, — 

"  In  the  fiend's  name,  what  possessed  you  three  to 
drive  through  Russograd  on  such  a  night  as  this  ?  " 

His  eye  now  caught  sight  of  the  limp  appearance  pre 
sented  by  the  silent  form  reclining  on  the  troika.  He 
sprang  from  his  horse  with  consternation  written  on  his 
face. 

"  Good  God!  don't  say  that  Trevisa  is  dead! — Trevisa, 
whom  I  hoped  to  see  fighting  under  the  banner  of  the 
princess  !  Dead !  "  he  muttered  under  his  breath,  "  and 
just  as  he  was  on  the  point  of  deciphering  the  secret 
despatch,  too !  " 

"  He  is  dead,"  said  Paul ;  "  but  this  is  no  time  for 
words.  The  assassin  is  among  yon  crowd,  and  his  name 
is  Ivan  Russakoff." 

180 


What  Happened  in  Russograd 

The  name  of  the  spy  acted  like  magic  upon  Zabern. 
He  shouted  some  order,  and  in  a  moment  more  ten  uhlans 
trotting  forward  with  couched  lances  scattered  the  crowd ; 
the  object  of  these  troopers  was  to  secure  the  Troitzka 
Gate,  and  so  prevent  the  assassin  from  making  his  escape 
by  this  exit.  Like  precautions  were  promptly  taken  with 
the  rest  of  the  city  gates.  The  remainder  of  his  forces 
Zabern  skilfully  disposed  around  the  suburb  of  Russo 
grad,  forming  them  into  a  cordon  through  which  no  one 
could  break  without  detection. 

Meanwhile,  in  answer  to  his  summons,  fresh  detach 
ments  of  troops  arrived  together  with  a  numerous  corps 
of  police;  and  to  both  he  briefly  explained  the  object  of 
the  muster. 

Zabern  was  well  aware  that,  owing  to  the  hostility  with 
which  Polish  authority  was  viewed  in  this  quarter,  he 
would  have  considerable  difficulty  in  inducing  the  Mus 
covites  to  surrender  the  spy,  whose  act  in  slaying  a 
government  official  would  be  certain  to  enlist  their  sym 
pathies.  Every  dweller  in  Russograd  would  take  a 
pride  in  concealing  the  felon.  Hence  the  marshal  was 
necessitated  to  make  his  arrangements  with  almost  the 
same  care  as  if  conducting  a  siege.  For  a  few  hours 
Russograd  was  to  become  subject  to  martial  law,  —  no 
new  experience  for  this  riotous  faubourg. 

"  Remember,  Russakoff  must  be  taken  alive ;  his  dead 
body  is  of  no  use  to  me,"  said  Zabern.  "  But  as  to  the 
rest,  don't  hesitate  to  shoot  if  there  should  be  any  resist 
ance.  Nikita,"  he  added,  addressing  his  orderly,  "  dis 
mount,  and  assist  Katina  in  conveying  the  body  to  the 
palace.  Captain  Woodville,  here  is  a  horse  at  your 
service.  You  will  accompany  us  ?  " 

Zabern's  elaborate  precautions  failed  to  secure  the  per 
son  of  the  spy. 

Though  all  the  streets  of  Russograd  were  traversed  by 
the  military,  and  every  individual  subjected  to  scrutiny; 

181 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

though  private  dwelling  and  public  building  were  ex 
plored  by  keen-eyed  police ;  and  though  the  marshal  and 
his  staff  formed  a  sort  of  inquisitorial  tribunal  and  inter 
rogated  and  cross-examined  during  the  whole  night,  yet 
no  one  answering  to  the  description  of  Russakoff  could 
be  found. 

Still  the  marshal  continued  the  search,  encouraged  by 
the  statement  alike  of  the  sentinels  at  the  city  gates  as 
of  the  members  composing  the  military  cordon,  that  the 
spy  had  not  passed  outwards. 

"  So,  Nariskin,"  he  said  at  seven  next  morning,  and 
addressing  a  patriarchal,  long-bearded  individual  who 
carried  himself  with  some  show  of  authority,  "  so,  Nari 
skin,  another  government  official  murdered  in  your 
ghetto !  A  pretty  guard  your  night-watch  keep !  " 

Nariskin,  chief  of  the  ward  council  that  directed  the 
affairs  of  Russograd,  became  voluble  in  attesting  his 
grief,  —  his  indignation,  —  his  horror,  that  anything  so 
—  so  — 

"It  isn't  an  oration  that  I  want,"  said  Zabern  brusquely, 
"  but  the  person  of  Russakoff.  You  will  assemble  your 
council  this  morning  and  make  two  announcements :  first, 
that  henceforth  Russograd  shall  cease  to  do  its  own  polic 
ing;  that  shall  be  my  care.  And,  secondly,  that  unless 
the  spy  is  surrendered  before  six  this  evening  Russograd 
shall  pay  a  fine  of  fifty  thousand  roubles." 

Nariskin  protested  by  Saint  Vladimir  that  there  was 
not  so  much  money  in  all  Russograd,  but  the  marshal 
turned  contemptuously  away. 

"  It 's  useless,"  he  said  to  Paul,  "  to  search  longer  for 
a  fugitive  whom  a  whole  people  are  bent  on  concealing." 

In  gloomy  mood  he  gave  orders  for  the  withdrawal  of 
the  soldiery  from  Russograd.  The  military  cordon,  how 
ever,  was  still  maintained,  and  fresh  injunctions  were 
issued  to  exercise  strict  supervision  over  every  person 
passing  outwards. 

182 


What  Happened  in  Russograd 

Paul  accompanied  Zabern  at  his  request  to  the  Vistula 
Palace,  and  entered  the  apartments  lately  tenanted  by 
Trevisa. 

Beneath  a  catafalque  of  black  velvet,  surrounded  by 
lighted  tapers  set  in  tall  silver  candlesticks,  reposed  the 
body  of  Trevisa,  his  hands  folded  across  his  breast,  and 
holding  within  them  lilies  placed  there  by  Katina. 

"  A  sad  fatality !  "  murmured  Zabern,  his  somewhat 
grim  and  hard  nature  touched  by  Trevisa's  early  and 
mournful  ending.  "  A  sad  fatality !  And  partly  of  my 
own  causing,  too !  " 

"  How  so  ?  " 

"  The  cipher-despatch  which  I  entrusted  to  his  care 
has  occasioned  his  death." 

"  You  mean  that  he  was  assassinated  in  order  to  pre 
vent  him  from  deciphering  it  ?  " 

"  Precisely.  The  duke  hesitates  at  nothing  to  conceal 
his  treason." 

"  What  proof  have  you  of  his  complicity  in  this 
affair?" 

"  Actual  proof  —  none,  else  would  the  headsman  be 
now  putting  edge  to  his  axe.  But  here  are  matters  that 
have  a  suspicious  aspect.  Not  till  yester-morn  did  the 
duke  learn  that  Russakoff  was  a  prisoner  in  the  Citadel, 
and  that  Trevisa  was  occupied  with  the  document  found 
on  the  spy.  I  did  my  best  to  keep  the  affair  a  secret,  but 
our  premier,  unthinkingly,  revealed  it ;  and,  according 
to  him,  the  duke,  on  hearing  of  Russakof's  imprisonment, 
looked  ill  at  ease.  Why,  unless  the  matter  concerned 
him?  Subsequently  the  duke  paid  a  visit  to  the  Citadel 
—  in  his  official  capacity,  of  course ;  but,  mark  the  result ! 
Two  hours  afterwards  Russakoff's  cell  was  found  empty. 
How  ?  Great  is  the  power  of  the  rouble-note !  " 

"  Why,  then,  send  the  duke  to  the  Citadel,  since  the 
itching  palm  that  opened  the  gate  for  Russakoff  may  do 
the  like  for  Bora  ?  " 

183 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

"  I  have  thought  of  that,  and  therefore  I  have  ap 
pointed  some  of  my  own  troopers  —  fellows  whom  I 
can  trust  —  to  be  the  duke's  jailers.  But  to  return  to 
the  cipher  letter,"  continued  Zabern,  in  a  tone  of  pro 
found  dejection.  "  It  still  keeps  its  secret.  And  Trevisa 
had  just  hit  on  the  clue!  Did  he  speak  of  the  matter  at 
all  on  the  way  to  Slavowitz  ?  Did  he  give  you  any  hint  ?  " 

"None." 

But  scarcely  had  Paul  given  this  reply  than  he  started, 
as  he  suddenly  recalled  Trevisa's  dying  utterance. 

"  Marshal,  I  believe  he  tried  to  make  a  communication 
to  me  in  his  last  moment.  His  words  were  '  Remember 
the  furies ! '  " 

"  Passing  strange !  what  meaning  can  there  be  in 
that?" 

The  two  men  puzzled  themselves  to  no  purpose  over 
the  singular  saying. 

"  That  cipher  letter,"  said  Zabern,  reflectively,  "  was 
perhaps  the  last  thing  in  Trevisa's  mind.  With  that  sud 
den  intuition  which  sometimes  belongs  to  the  dying,  he 
recognized  why  he  had  been  assassinated,  and  tried  to 
give  you  a  clue.  '  Remember  the  furies ! '  Humph ! 
here  's  an  enigma  indeed !  " 

He  paced  the  apartment  gloomily,  while  Paul,  looking 
down  upon  the  face  of  his  dead  friend,  breathed  a  silent 
prayer  for  justice  upon  all  who  had  part  in  the  cruel 
deed. 

"  The  interpretation  of  that  cipher  letter,"  said  Za 
bern,  "  would  enable  us  to  defeat  Russia's  secret  scheme 
for  the  subversion  of  Czernova ;  but  alas !  where  shall 
we  look  for  the  interpreter?" 

"  Give  me  the  letter,"  said  Paul  with  a  sudden  impulse, 
"  and  let  me  try  my  wits  upon  it.  I  am  not  altogether 
ignorant  of  cryptography ;  it  was  Trevisa's  favorite  pur 
suit  when  we  were  at  college.  He  sought  to  interest  me 
in  it,  and  I  remember  something  of  his  methods." 

184 


What  Happened  in  Russograd 

There  was  at  first  some  hesitancy  on  the  part  of  Zaberti. 
Was  it  wise  to  trust  such  a  weighty  matter  to  one  who 
owed  no  allegiance  to  the  Czernovese  government? 

Paul  understood  the  scruples  of  the  other. 

"  You  may  trust  me ;  or  if  not,  I  will  take  whatever 
oath  you  wish.  My  sole  desire  is  to  serve  your  beautiful 
princess." 

Zabern's  opposition  vanished. 

"  You  shall  have  the  letter,"  he  replied.  "  You  de 
feated  Russia's  aim  in  the  East ;  now  defeat  her  aim  in 
the  West.  But,  if  you  are  like  me,  you  must  feel  the 
need  of  a  little  sleep.  There  is  a  bed  in  the  next  apart 
ment.  Sleep  for  an  hour  or  two,  and  rise  fresh  for  the 
work." 

Paul  accepted  this  advice,  and  retired  to  the  next 
apartment. 

"  Shall  I  call  this  Fate?  "  he  murmured,  as  he  laid  his 
head  on  the  pillow.  "  Without  any  seeking  on  my  part 
I  am  now  beneath  the  same  roof  as  Barbara." 


185 


CHAPTER  VIII 

PAUL   AND   THE    PRINCESS 

AFTER  a  brief  interval  of  repose  Paul  awoke,  and 
had  scarcely  donned  his  uniform  when  a  court 
chamberlain,  carrying  a  silver  gilt  staff,  presented 
himself  with  a  message  to  the  effect  that,  "  The  Princess 
of  Czernova,  having  learned  that  the  illustrious  defender 
of  Tajapore  is  at  the  present  time  writhin  her  palace,  de 
sires  to  hold  a  private  interview  with  him  in  the  White 
Saloon." 

The  chamberlain  went  on  to  say  that  though  court 
dress  or  military  uniform  was  dc  rignenr  in  such  inter 
views,  he  had  been  expressly  commanded  to  state  that 
on  the  present  occasion  the  princess  would  \vaive  all 
ceremony. 

Having  no  other  attire  with  him,  Paul  had  of  necessity 
to  go  to  this  momentous  meeting  in  his  uniform,  and 
accordingly  he  set  off  at  once  with  the  chamberlain,  who 
on  the  way  ventured  to  remind  him  of  the  etiquette  to 
be  observed  during  the  approaching  interview :  he 
must  stand  unless  requested  to  sit ;  make  no  observation 
of  his  own,  but  simply  reply  to  the  questions  addressed 
him;  he  must  not  withdraw  till  the  princess  should  give 
the  signal,  and  in  withdrawing  he  must  keep  his  face 
turned  towards  her. 

All  this,  and  much  more,  from  Silver  Staff  touched 
Paul  with  a  sense  of  humor,  when  he  recalled  the  sweet 
and  unrestrained  intercourse  at  Castel  Nuovo. 

On  entering  the  White  Saloon  Paul  perceived  Barbara 

1 86 


Paul  and  the  Princess 

seated  at  a  table,  and  pencil  in  hand,  ostensibly  occupied 
in  annotating  state-papers.  She  wore  a  dainty  dress  of 
white  tulle  sparkling-  with  silver  embroidery  over  ivory 
satin. 

She  was  evidently  in  a  state  of  nervousness.  The 
pencil  trembled  within  her  fingers.  She  did  not  glance 
at  Paul,  but  kept  her  eyes  upon  the  papers  before  her. 

Now  that  the  chamberlain  had  withdrawn,  she  was  ex 
pecting  Paul  to  come  forward  with  the  greeting,  "  Bar 
bara  !  "  Nay,  if  the  truth  must  be  told,  she  was  longing 
to  be  folded  in  his  arms,  and  to  hear  again  the  passionate 
language  which  he  had  addressed  to  her  on  that  memo 
rable  day  of  their  parting. 

But  to  her  disappointment  Paul  seemed  as  formal  as  a 
courtier.  With  his  plumed  helmet  doffed  he  stood  at  the 
distance  prescribed  by  court  etiquette  waiting  for  her  to 
speak. 

Quick  to  interpret  his  secret  thought,  she  saw  that  he 
recognized  the  existence  of  a  wide  gulf  between  them, 
a  gulf  that  could  be  crossed  only  from  her  side ;  if  there 
was  to  be  a  renewal  of  love  it  was  for  her  to  take  the 
initiative. 

This  attitude  on  his  part,  though  studiously  correct, 
embarrassed  her  exceedingly. 

"  I  little  thought,"  she  began  in  a  low  and  faltering 
voice,  "  when  reading  of  the  brave  deeds  of  one  Captain 
Woodville,  that  the  doer  of  them  was  known  to  me. 
Captain  Cressingham,"  she  continued,  reverting  to  the 
more  familiar  name,  "  for  two  years  I  have  been  under  the 
belief  that  you  perished  in  that  Dalmatian  earthquake." 

"  Your  Highness,  I  have  been  under  a  similar  belief 
regarding  yourself." 

"  Knowing,  as  you  do,"  she  continued,  aimlessly  trac 
ing  lines  on  the  paper  before  her,  "  that  I  cannot  be  the 
real  Princess  Natalie,  you  are  perhaps  of  opinion  that  I 
have  no  right  to  the  throne  of  Czernova  ?  " 

187 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

"  Princess  —  no !  I  will  believe  anything  rather  than 
that  you  are  an  usurper  or  an  impostor." 

The  energy  with  which  he  spoke  attested  the  sincerity 
of  his  belief. 

Now  for  the  first  time  since  his  entrance  the  princess 
raised  her  eyes,  and  their  flash  of  gratitude  thrilled  Paul. 

"  Your  faith  in  me  is  not  misplaced,  for  I  am  truly  the 
lawful  Princess  of  Czernova,  though  a  strange  necessity 
has  compelled  me  to  assume  the  name  of  my  sister 
Natalie.  You  shall  have  the  story  anon.  Captain 
Cressingham,"  she  continued,  in  a  curiously  labored 
voice,  as  if  the  choice  of  words  were  a  difficulty,  "  we 
were  parted  in  a  very  strange  way.  You  will  perhaps 
have  guessed  that  I  was  carried  off  by  the  orders  of 
Cardinal  Ravenna,  who  acted,  however,  under  the  au 
thority  of  my  father,  Prince  Thaddeus. 

"  They  justified  the  secret  abduction  on  the  ground 
that  in  my  new  sphere  it  would  be  wise,  nay  absolutely 
necessary,  to  break  entirely  with  the  past.  But  for  my 
own  part,"  added  the  princess  softly,  and  with  the  color 
mantling  her  cheek,  "  I  do  not  see  the  necessity  for  ignor 
ing  all  former  ties." 

"  Your  Highness  has  not  forgotten  the  days  spent  at 
Castel  Nuovo  ?  " 

"  No,  nor  that  day  in  Isola  Sacra.  Captain  Cressing 
ham,  I  am  a  Lilieska,  and  the  herald  will  tell  you  that  the 
motto  of  the  House  of  Lilieski  is  '  Keep  to  troth!  " 

Paul  caught  his  breath  at  these  words,  the  significance 
of  which  was  not  to  be  mistaken. 

That  the  lovely  convent  maiden  should  care  for  such 
an  unworthy  fellow  as  himself  had  been  a  marvel  to  him 
two  years  previously ;  but  that  now,  when  a  princess, 
and  capable  of  forming  a  brilliant  alliance  with  king  or 
noble,  she  should  still  adhere  to  him,  was  more  mar 
vellous  still. 

Barbara,  no  longer  able  to  endure  this  state  of  tension, 

1 88 


Paul  and  the  Princess 

rose  to  her  feet,  and  with  unsteady  step  moved  towards 
Paul. 

"  When  the  suitor  is  of  inferior  rank,"  she  said  with  a 
strange  catch  in  her  voice,  "  court  etiquette  permits  a 
princess  to  make  the  first  advance  in  love.  Thus,  then, 
do  I  avail  myself  of  the  privilege.  Paul,"  she  continued, 
taking  his  hands  in  her  own,  and  striving  to  look  into  his 
averted  face,  "  have  you  forgotten  your  words  to  me  on 
that  sunny  day  in  the  old  Greek  temple?  Day  and  night 
for  two  years  I  have  never  ceased  to  think  of  them.  Yes, 
though  you  may  reproach  me  with  the  name  of  Bora, 
your  image  has  never  been  absent  from  my  mind.  Does 
my  new  rank  embarrass  you?  To  you  I  am  the  same 
Barbara  now  as  I  was  then.  I  long  to  lay  aside  my  state ; 
to  wander  again  through  the  pine-woods  of  Dalmatia ; 
to  handle  an  oar  on  the  blue  Adriatic  as  on  that  day  when 
we  were  so  cruelly  parted.  Ah,  heaven !  how  cold,  how 
silent  you  are  !  Why  do  you  turn  away  your  eyes  ?  Paul, 
look  at  me,"  she  entreated  wistfully. 

Paul,  knowing  full  well  that  her  attachment  to  him 
was  certain  to  create  confusion  in  Czernovese  politics, 
had  come  fully  prepared  to  sacrifice  his  own  happiness 
to  her  interests.  But  this  appeal  on  her  part  overcame 
him.  He  could  not  resist  the  temptation  presented  by 
the  beautiful  face  so  close  to  his  own.  Moved  by  a  sud 
den  impulse,  he  clasped  her  passionately  in  his  arms. 

"  Oh !  this  cannot  be,"  he  murmured  a  moment  after 
wards.  "  It  is  madness." 

"  Then  let  me  be  mad,"  she  said  with  a  low  sweet 
laugh  as  she  clung  to  him. 

"  You  are  a  princess,  and  I  am  merely  a  military 
officer." 

"  And  where  would  the  princess  now  be  but  for  the 
officer  who  found  her  wandering  in  the  wild-wood  ?  " 

"  Princess  —  Barbara  —  I  love  you  — 

"  I  have  been  waiting  for  those  words,  Paul." 

189 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

"  I  love  you  —  how  deeply  no  words  of  mine  can  tell ; 
but  when  I  think  of  the  difference  in  our  rank  — 

"  But  you  must  not  think  of  it,  Paul,"  she  interrupted, 
still  within  the  circle  of  his  arms,  and  placing  her  finger 
with  a  witching  air  on  his  lip. 

"  It  must  be  that  we  part.  The  law  of  Czernova  for 
bids  our  union." 

"  The  Diet  shall  repeal  that  law." 

1     "  Your  ministers,  your  nobility,  your  people  will  never 
tolerate  an  untitled  Englishman." 

"  I  am  ruler  in  Czernova,"  she  answered  proudly. 
"  No  one  shall  dictate  to  me  as  to  my  choice  of  a  consort." 

"  The  Duke  of  Bora  —  what  of  him  ?  "  said  Paul,  with 
difficulty  pronouncing  the  name  that  had  become  doubly 
hateful  to  him. 

Barbara's  eyes  drooped.    She  hid  her  face  on  his  breast. 

"  Forgive  me,  Paul.  Do  not  reproach  me  with  his 
name.  Remember  that  I  thought  you  dead.  I  have  never 
forgotten  you,  nor  ceased  to  love  your  memory.  It  was 
political  necessity  that  drove  me  to  the  arms  of  Bora. 
On  my  coming  here  from  Dalmatia  in  the  character  of 
Princess  Natalie,  I  was  compelled  by  the  role  I  had  as 
sumed  to  receive  the  addresses  of  the  duke,  addresses 
which  I  at  heart  loathed.  It  had  been  my  intention  to 
break  with  him  ultimately ;  but  of  late,  since  I  have  been 
threatened  with  deposition  by  Cardinal  Ravenna,  —  yes, 
deposition,"  she  repeated  with  flashing  eyes,  —  "  I  have 
weakly  thought  of  marrying  the  duke ;  for  inasmuch  as 
he  is  the  heir-apparent  I  should  thus  ensure  my  rank,  if 
not  my  power,  as  princess.  But  that  idea  is  gone  now; 
I  cast  it  from  me  forever." 

"  But  why  ?  Is  not  the  necessity  for  conciliating  the 
duke  as  great  to-day  as  yesterday  ?  " 

"  No ;  for  if  I  should  have  lost  my  crown  I  should 
have  lost  the  one  thing  I  held  most  dear ;  if  I  lose  it 
now  —  " 

190 


Paul  and  the  Princess 

She  paused  in  her  utterance. 

"  Yes,  if  you  should  lose  it  now  —  ?  " 

"  Have  I  not  you  ?  "  she  answered  with  a  soft  pressure 
of  her  arms.  Paul  would  have  deserved  instant  knout- 
ing  if  'i.e  had  not  kissed  the  princess  for  that  saying. 
Then,  becoming  grave  again  he  said,  — 

"  You  say  the  cardinal  threatens  you  with  deposition  ? 
Why  this  hostility  on  his  part  ?  " 

"  Because  I  will  not  dance  to  his  piping." 

"  And  by  adhering  to  me  you  will  increase  his  hostility, 
since  with  him  I  shall  not  be  a  persona  gratissima." 

"  He  cannot  ruin  me  without  ruining  himself,  and  am 
bition  will  cause  him  to  pause  ere  'doing  that." 

"  But,"  said  the  puzzled  Paul,  "  since  you  are  the 
daughter  of  Prince  Thaddeus,  how  is  it  possible  for  him 
to  dethrone  you,  and  why  is  it  necessary  that  you  should 
personate  the  Princess  Natalie  ?  " 

All  this  time  Barbara  had  been  standing  clasped  within 
Paul's  arms ;  but  now,  taking  him  by  the  hand,  she  led 
him  to  a  seat,  and  sat  down  beside  him. 

'  The  story  of  my  life,  as  far  as  it  was  known  to  me, 
I  told  you  at  Isola  Sacra.  Let  me  now  supplement  it  with 
details  which  I  have  since  learned." 

The  following  is  a  brief  outline  of  Barbara's  narration. 

The  late  Prince  Thaddeus  had  in  youth  contracted  a 
marriage  with  a  young  English  lady  named  Hilda  Tres- 
sifian,  who  lived  in  the  neighborhood  of  Warsaw.  Thad 
deus,  aware  that  his  father  would  be  averse  to  this  match, 
kept  it  a  secret,  visiting  his  wife  at  intervals.  During  his 
absence  in  Czernova  Hilda  died  suddenly,  and  was  buried 
ere  the  prince  had  time  to  gaze  upon  her  lifeless  form. 

On  reaching  the  scene  of  her  death,  Thaddeus  learned 
that  there  had  been  a  daughter  still-born,  the  truth  being 
that  the  infant  was  in  reality  alive,  Hilda's  servants  hav 
ing  been  bribed  to  relate  this  falsehood  by  Pasqual  Ra 
venna,  at  that  time  a  youthful  priest  of  ambitious  views. 

191 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

His  object  was  to  train  the  child  in  the  Catholic  faith,  — 
Thaddeus  was  a  Greek,  —  and  ultimately  to  restore  her 
to  her  rightful  dignity  as  Princess  of  Czernova ;  the  in 
terests  of  the  Latin  Church  would  be  thereby  advanced. 
And  for  eighteen  years  Ravenna,  while  rising  f  om  one 
ecclesiastical  dignity  to  another,  never  lost  sight  of  this 
scheme ;  and,  when  he  deemed  the  time  ripe,  secretly 
apprised  Thaddeus  of  the  existence  of  Barbara. 

That  prince,  pressed  by  political  necessity,  had  made  a 
second  marriage,  the  issue  of  which  was  an  only  child, 
Natalie,  born  eighteen  months  after  Barbara. 

This  Natalie,  to  whom  Thaddeus  had  become  passion 
ately  attached,  was  now  threatened  with  exclusion  from 
the  throne  by  the  existence  of  her  elder  half-sister. 

Thaddeus,  suspecting  a  plot  on  the  part  of  the  cardinal, 
refused  to  acknowledge  his  resuscitated  daughter ;  and 
for  a  time  the  matter  remained  in  abeyance. 

Some  months  later  the  Princess  Natalie,  being  in  a 
somewhat  delicate  state  of  health,  was  advised  by  the 
court  physician  to  take  a  tour  in  the  countries  around 
the  Adriatic ;  and  Thaddeus,  prompted  either  by  fear  or 
by  some  other  motive,  permitted  Cardinal  Ravenna  to 
take  charge  of  the  princess.  Among  other  places  Dal- 
matia  was  visited,  and  here,  while  at  Castel  Nuovo,  Nat 
alie  died. 

"In  what  way?"  asked  Paul. 

"  She  committed  suicide,"  replied  Barbara,  in  a  whis 
per  of  awe. 

"  You  have  proof  of  this  ?  " 

"  I  have  my  father's  word.  He  had  come  to  Dalmatia 
purposely  to  see  Xatalie,  and  was  in  the  neighborhood  of 
Castel  Nuovo  at  the  time  of  the  tragedy.  He  was  at  once 
sent  for.  Oh !  no,  there  was  nothing  suspicious  in  her 
death,"  continued  Barbara,  observant  of  the  misgiving 
expressed  on  Paul's  face.  "  Do  you  think  that  my  father, 
who  loved  Natalie  so  dearly,  would  have  connived  at  a 
crime?"  192 


Paul  and  the  Princess 

Paul  considered  it  not  at  all  unlikely  that  Thaddeus 
had  been  deceived  by  the  cardinal.  He  refrained,  how 
ever,  from  expressing  his  doubts. 

"  In  what  way  did  she  commit  suicide  ?  " 

"  She  stabbed  herself  before  any  one  could  prevent  her. 
My  father  had  the  story  from  Lambro  and  Jacintha,  who, 
as  well  as  the  cardinal,  were  eye-witnesses  of  the  deed." 

Paul  was  of  opinion  that  the  cardinal  who  had  bribed 
servants  to  utter  the  falsehood  of  Barbara's  death  would 
certainly  employ  the  like  expedient  where  his  own  guilt 
was  concerned. 

The  more  Paul  recalled  Jacintha's  air  of  terror  and 
her  admission  as  to  the  mysterious  oath  taken  on  the 
Holy  Sacrament,  the  more  he  became  convinced  that 
Natalie  Lilieska  had  met  her  death  by  foul  play.  But 
dead  princesses  tell  no  tales ;  and  the  disappearance  of 
the  two  witnesses  of  the  deed,  Lambro  and  Jacintha,  in 
the  submergence  of  Castel  Nuovo,  made  it  extremely 
improbable  that  the  charge  would  ever  be  brought  home 
to  the  cardinal. 

It  was  agreed,  Barbara  continued,  that  the  scandal  of 
Princess  Natalie's  suicide  must  be  kept  secret.  Her  body, 
sealed  in  a  leaden  coffin,  was  concealed  beneath  the  floor 
ing  of  the  cardinal's  study  at  Castel  Nuovo,  to  be  re 
moved  at  a  convenient  opportunity  to  the  princely  vault 
at  Slavowitz.  That  opportunity  never  came,  and  the 
waves  of  the  Adriatic  now  flowed  over  the  body  of  the 
Princess  Natalie. 

It  was  clear  that  unless  Thaddeus  consented  to  recog 
nize  the  convent-maiden  as  his  daughter,  the  crown  of 
Czernova  would  devolve  upon  one  whom  he  personally 
disliked,  namely,  upon  Bora,  though  Natalie  herself  had 
accepted  the  duke's  addresses  with  pleasure. 

Accordingly,  Thaddeus,  accompanied  by  the  cardinal, 
set  off  for  the  convent  of  the  Holy  Sacrament,  to  see  the 
daughter  whom  he  had  never  yet  seen.  On  his  arrival, 
'3  193 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

however,  he  learned  with  dismay  that  Barbara  had  fled 
the  day  previously. 

Many  weeks  were  spent  by  the  prince  and  the  cardinal 
in  searching  for  her  in  the  neighboring  province  and 
Bosnia.  They  had  been  led  into  this  region  by  a  story  to 
the  effect  that  she  had  been  seen  journeying  in  a  caravan 
of  gypsies. 

Disappointed  in  their  quest,  Thaddeus  and  Ravenna 
returned  to  CastePNuovo,  arriving  there  by  a  singular 
chance  on  the  very  day  that  Paul  and  Barbara  had  chosen 
for  their  excursion  to  Isola  Sacra.  They  instantly  re 
solved  to  send  over  a  band  of  men  for  the  purpose  of 
carrying  off  Barbara,  and  of  leaving  behind  on  the  island 
the  dangerous  young  Englishman  who  was  unknowingly 
wooing  a  princess. 

Their  plan  succeeded. 

Fortunately,  Barbara  and  her  abductors  did  not  pass 
that  night  at  Castel  Nuovo.  In  the  mist  the  boat  was 
carried  by  the  current  some  miles  lower  down  the  coast ; 
and  captors  and  captive  lodged  at  an  inn  which  remained 
unaffected  by  the  earthquake  that  had  devastated  the  rest 
of  Dalmatia. 

Barbara's  passion  of  grief  and  indignation  at  being 
torn  from  Paul  was  so  violent,  that  the  prince  and  the 
cardinal  had  no  other  course  than  to  promise  that  she 
should  have  her  own  way  as  regarded  the  young  Eng 
lishman.  But  next  morning,  to  the  despair  of  Barbara, 
the  relief  of  Thaddeus,  and  the  secret  joy  of  Ravenna, 
it  was  seen  that  Isola  Sacra  had  disappeared  beneath  the 
waves.  It  was  naturally  concluded  that  Paul  had  gone 
down  with  it. 

Grief-stricken  at  this  ending  of  her  love-dream,  Bar 
bara  was  more  disposed  to  return  to  the  convent  and  as 
sume  the  veil  of  a  nun  than  to  accept  the  prospective 
crown  of  Czernova ;  but  finally  she  was  persuaded  to  this 
latter  course  by  Thaddeus,  who,  convinced  now  that  Bar- 

194 


Paul  and  the  Princess 

bara  was  indeed  his  daughter,  displayed  all  a  father's 
tenderness. 

There  would  be  a  difficulty,  however,  in  persuading 
the  Czernovese  people  to  accept  as  the  daughter  of 
their  prince  a  maiden  of  whom  they  had  never  before 
heard. 

Now  it  so  happened  that  the  church  in  which  Thad- 
deus's  marriage  with  Hilda  Tressilian  had  taken  place 
had  been  subsequently  destroyed  by  fire,  and  with  it  the 
documentary  evidence  tending  to  prove  Barbara's  iden 
tity  and  legitimacy. 

Thadcleus  was  thus  unable  to  establish  her  relationship 
to  himself.  The  Diet  might  be  pardoned  for  refusing  to 
take  his  bare  word  as  proof.  Bora,  too,  would  loudly  de 
clare  that  Barbara  was  a  supposititious  child  brought  for 
ward  to  deprive  him  of  the  throne. 

In  view,  therefore,  of  her  marvellous  resemblance  to 
Natalie,  it  was  decided  by  the  prince  and  the  cardinal 
that  Barbara  should  lose  her  own  identity  and  should 
personate  the  late  princess. 

This  Barbara  had  done,  and  with  such  art  and  tact  that 
not  even  Bora  suspected  the  pardonable,  if  not  altogether 
innocent  manoeuvre  by  which  she  had  contrived  to  secure 
her  rights. 

"  With  the  exception  of  yourself,"  said  Barbara  in 
conclusion,  "  the  cardinal  is  the  sole  depositary  of  my 
secret,  for  not  even  to  Zabern,  my  confidant  in  most 
things,  have  I  revealed  it.  Now  you  understand  the 
power  which  the  cardinal  professes  to  wield  over  me, 
and  why  he  insolently  presumes  to  menace  me  with  dep 
osition.  But  he  shall  not  succeed.  Zabern  is  my  hope. 
Zabern,  crafty  and  subtle,  will  find  a  way  of  defeating 
the  cardinal's  machinations ;  and  then,"  she  murmured, 
"  and  then  —  he  shall  regret  his  threat  to  dethrone  the 
Princess  of  Czernova." 

Barbara,  menaced  on  the  one  side  by  the  cardinal  and 

195 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

on  the  other  by  the  Czar,  had  not  a  very  firm  hold  on  her 
throne,  at  least  in  Paul's  judgment ;  and  now  by  her  at 
tachment  to  himself  she  was  still  further  imperilling  her 
position.  But  he  ceased  to  argue  the  matter.  Any  man 
with  those  lovely  arms  around  him  might  be  pardoned 
for  shutting  his  eyes  to  the  future. 

"  And  so  your  mother  was  an  Englishwoman  ?  "  he  re 
marked,  seeing  in  that  fact  a  possible  explanation  of  Bar 
bara's  pro-Anglian  tastes. 

''  Yes,  I  am  half  English,"  she  replied,  "  and  I  am  glad 
for  your  sake  that  I  am  such.  You  have  not  told  any 
one  of  our  prior  meeting  in  Dalmatia?" 

"  I  have  kept  it  a  secret." 

"  Let  it  remain  such.  And  our  love,  too,  must  be  kept 
secret,  —  at  least,  for  a  time,"  she  added  with  a  sigh,  for 
she  loved  open  dealing,  and  the  hiding  of  her  real  faith, 
together  with  the  assumption  of  her  sister's  name,  had 
never  ceased  to  be  a  source  of  pain. 

"  How  happily  we  sit  here,"  murmured  Barbara,  "  giv 
ing  no  thought  to  him  who  is  lying  dead !  You  were 
with  Trevisa  at  the  time  of  his  murder;  tell  me  how  it 
happened." 

Paul  gave  an  account  of  Trevisa's  death,  in  itself  a  sad 
event,  and  one  rendered  still  more  painful  to  Barbara  by 
the  thought  that  it  had  occurred  so  shortly  after  his  dis 
missal  from  his  secretaryship.  The  sorrowful  look  with 
which  he  had  received  her  decision  would  never  fade 
from  her  mind.  She  felt  his  loss  keenly,  inasmuch  as  he 
had  been  her  friend  as  well  as  her  amanuensis,  and  for 
a  long  time  she  sat  talking  of  Trevisa,  of  his  loyalty  and 
his  good  services. 

"  I  shall  require  a  new  secretary,"  she  said.  "  You, 
Paul,  must  fill  Trevisa's  place.  Nay,  forgive  me  for 
being  thus  imperious.  I  speak  as  if  I  had  the  right  to 
your  obedience.  My  commands  are  for  my  ministers, 
not  for  you." 

196 


"'See  how  well  it  becomes  \ou,'  she  said,  drawing  him  gently 

towards  a  mirror." 

Tage  197 


Paul  and  the  Princess 

She  slid  playfully  upon  her  knees  before  him,  and  put 
her  hands  together  with  a  demure  air. 

"  May  I  have  you  for  my  secretary?  " 

Paul,  though  sometimes  given  to  day-dreams,  had  cer 
tainly  never  anticipated  the  time  when  a  fair  princess 
would  be  kneeling  at  his  feet.  He  attempted  to  raise 
her. 

"  I  will  not  rise  till  you  grant  my  request." 

No  post  could  be  more  acceptable  to  Paul  than  this 
secretaryship,  since  he  would  thus  live  in  daily  compan 
ionship  with  Barbara ;  and,  moreover,  the  handling  of 
her  correspondence  would  initiate  him  into  the  secrets  of 
that  fascinating  subject,  European  diplomacy. 

"  Are  you  won  over  yet?  "  she  asked. 

"  Who  may  gainsay  a  princess  ?  "  said  Paul.  "  But  are 
you  certain  that  my  appointment  will  not  give  offence  ?  " 

"  I  reign  over  a  divided  realm.  If  I  appoint  a  Pole  I 
shall  have  the  Muscovites  against  me ;  if  I  appoint  a 
Muscovite  I  shall  have  the  Poles  against  me.  Therefore 
I  will  choose  my  secretary  from  neither  party." 

"  In  order  to  unite  both  against  you,"  smiled  Paul. 
"  But  I  fear,  Barbara,  that  I  am  ill-qualified  for  the  post." 

"  So  much  the  better,  Paul,  for  it  will  be  charming  to 
be  your  instructress,"  she  replied,  delighted  that  he  had 
accepted  the  appointment.  "  What  will  your  sovereign 
say  at  losing  a  brave  soldier?" 

'  The  princess  is  now  my  sovereign." 

"  Nay,  not  your  sovereign,  Paul,  but  your  equal." 

She  rose  and  walked  to  a  buhl  table  on  which  rested  a 
golden  diadem,  and  returning  with  it,  she  placed  it  play 
fully  upon  his  head. 

"  See  how  well  it  becomes  you,"  she  said,  drawing  him 
gently  towards  a  mirror.  "  There !  every  inch  a  prince." 

Paul  smiled  oddly  at  his  reflection  in  the  glass.  He  to 
wear  the  crown  of  Czernova !  The  idea  seemed  too  fan 
tastic  to  be  entertained.  For  the  last  four  and  twenty 

197 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

hours  he  seemed  to  have  been  playing  a  role  in  some 
romantic  opera  rather  than  to  have  been  living  in  the 
world  of  reality. 

He  put  the  diadem  aside. 

"  It  is  not  a  crown  I  want,  Barbara,  but  your  own  sweet 
self." 

"  And  you  have  me,  Paul,"  she  said,  kissing  him  affec 
tionately.  "  Nothing  but  death  shall  part  us.  And 
now,"  she  continued,  quitting  his  arms  with  reluctance, 
"  we  must  put  on  our  masks  and  play  our  parts,  for  I 
am  about  to  summon  the  chamberlain." 

On  the  appearance  of  Silver  Staff,  Barbara  said,  — 

"  Call  the  marshal  to  our  presence." 

Zabern  was  soon  found.  On  entering  he  glanced 
keenly  at  Paul's  face  as  if  expecting  to  gain  from  it 
some  idea  of  the  character  of  his  long  interview  with 
the  princess;  but  Paul,  when  he  chose,  could  be  as  in 
scrutable  as  Zabern  himself,  and  his  face  revealed 
nothing. 

"What  news  of  Russakoff?"  asked  the  princess. 

"  Your  Highness,  I  regret  to  say  that  the  spy  is  still 
at  large." 

''  The  ruffians  of  Russograd,  who  slew  Trevisa  because 
he  was  an  Englishman  and  loyal  to  me,  shall  find  that 
they  have  gained  little  by  their  deed,  for  I  herewith  re 
place  him  by  an  Englishman  equally  as  loyal.  Mar 
shal,  my  new  secretary." 

Zabern  bowed  and  answered  like  a  courtier. 

"  No  appointment  could  give  the  cabinet  and  the  Diet 
greater  pleasure,"  he  replied,  knowing  that  he  was  com 
mitting  himself  to  a  doubtful  statement. 

"  It  is  a  matter  in  which  the  cabinet  and  the  Diet  have 
no  concern,"  replied  Barbara  with  a  touch  of  hauteur  in 
her  voice. 

"  Your  Highness,  Miroslav  is  without,  charged  with  a 
question  from  the  Duke  of  Bora." 

198 


Paul  and  the  Princess 

"  What  says  that  law-breaker  ?  " 

"  His  grace  is  desirous  of  learning  from  the  princess 
how  long  his  detention  is  to  last." 

''  Till  the  mark  on  my  secretary's  cheek  shall  have  dis 
appeared.  If  his  grace  be  dissatisfied  with  our  justice,  it 
is  open  to  him  to  appeal  to  the  law-courts  of  Czernova, 
whose  sentence  he  will  find  considerably  less  lenient  than 
our  own." 

"  Your  Highness,  I  shall  have  extreme  pleasure  in 
conveying  that  message  to  the  duke." 


CHAPTER   IX 

A   DISPLAY    OF    SWORDSMANSHIP 

ON  quitting  the  presence  of  the  princess,  Paul  and 
Zabern  took  their  way  through  the  palace  gar 
dens,  where  they  were  met  by  two  individuals  in 
uniform,  whom  the  marshal  introduced  to  Paul.  The 
more  youthful  of  the  two,  who  had  fair  hair,  blue  eyes, 
and  a  comely  face  that  seemed  to  indicate  habitual  good 
humor,  was  Dorislas,  and  he  held  the  office  of  Minister  of 
Finance.  The  other,  a  somewhat  sullen-looking  person 
age,  was  Miroslav,  the  governor  of  the  Citadel,  "  and," 
added  Zabern,  "  the  present  guardian  of  your  friend  the 
duke." 

"  Ah !  the  duke,"  said  Dorislas  to  the  governor.  "  I 
marvel,  Miroslav,  that  you  have  not  yet  been  called  upon 
to  defend  your  Bastille.  What  are  your  friends  in  Russo- 
grad  thinking  of,  that  they  so  tamely  submit  to  the  duke's 
imprisonment?  " 

"  The  marshal's  placards  explain  the  reason.  At  the 
first  attempt  upon  the  Citadel  the  duke  is  to  be  brought 
forth  upon  the  battlements,  and  summarily  shot." 

"  And  therefore,"  commented  Zabern,  "  it  is  a  pity  that 
they  do  not  make  the  attempt." 

"  Well,  you  know  the  marshal  and  his  ways  by  this 
time,"  laughed  Dorislas,  addressing  Miroslav.  "  When 
to-night  you  see  a  wild  mob  with  blackened  faces  ad 
vancing  upon  the  Citadel,  and  crying  out  for  the  release 
of  the  duke,  be  sure  that  Zabern  is  somewhere  among 
them,  disguised  and  playing  the  part  of  chief  instigator." 

200 


A  Display  of  Swordsmanship 

Zabcrn  and  his  two  friends,  so  it  appeared,  were  on 
their  way  to  the  salle  d'anncs,  which  stood  in  the  cen 
tre  of  the  palace  gardens.  In  this  hall  it  was  their 
custom,  provided  that  state  affairs  were  not  too  press 
ing,  to  fence  daily.  Zabern  invited  Paul  to  accompany 
them. 

"  And  the  cipher  despatch,  marshal  ?  "  said  the  new 
secretary,  who,  having  Barbara's  interests  at  heart,  was 
desirous  of  beginning  work  at  once. 

"  A  little  fencing  on  your  part  will  quicken  both  blood 
and  brain." 

So  Paul  acquiesced,  somewhat  reluctantly,  and  while  he 
and  the  governor  of  the  Citadel  strode  on  in  front,  Zabern, 
adopting  a  more  tardy  pace,  followed  in  the  rear  con 
versing  with  Dorislas. 

"Marshal,  what  is  this  mystery?"  asked  the  Finance 
Minister  with  a  significant  glance  in  Paul's  direction. 
'  There  is  a  strange  rumor  that  he  and  the  princess  were 
together  in  Dalmatia,  and  that  she  there  presented  him 
with  a  sapphire  seal  which  had  been  given  to  her  by  the 
duke  himself.  Within  twelve  hours  of  his  coming  to  Czer- 
nova  he  is  challenged  to  a  duel  by  Bora.  Her  Highness, 
on  hearing  of  the  affair,  flies  to  rescue  the  Englishman, 
sends  her  affianced  husband  to  prison,  but  permits  the 
other  duellist  to  go  free.  And  now  you  bring  the  amazing 
news  that  the  princess  has  made  this  Woodville  her  sec 
retary.  What  is  the  meaning  of  it  all  ?  " 

'''  You  had  better  ask  her  Highness,"  said  Zabern  dryly, 
and  abruptly  changing  the  subject  of  conversation,  he 
added :  "  Did  anything  of  importance  take  place  at  the 
Diet  last  night  ?  " 

"  What,  marshal !  have  n't  you  heard?  "  cried  Dorislas, 
his  face  expressing  the  extreme  of  amazement. 

"  Heard  ?  I  've  heard  nothing.  I  was  occupied  in 
searching  for  that  assassin  Russakoff  till  seven  this  morn 
ing,  since  when  I  have  been  asleep.  What  new  folly,  then, 

20 1 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

did  you  and  the  rest  of  the  ministry  perpetrate  in  my 
absence  ?  " 

"  You  know,  of  course,  that  the  first  order  of  the  even 
ing  was  the  notification  to  the  House  of  the  princess's 
change  of  faith.  Scarcely  had  Radzivil  risen  to  make  his 
statement,  when  he  was  interrupted  by  Lipski  with  a 
sneering  remark  to  the  effect  that  the  premier  might  spare 
his  words,  for  the  Diet  knew  very  well  what  he  was  going 
to  say,  and  that  it  would  have  been  more  becoming  on  the 
part  of  the  princess  to  have  taken  the  House  into  her  con 
fidence  earlier,  and  not  to  have  waited  till  her  hand  had 
been  forced  by  the  article  contained  in  his  newspaper,  the 
'  Kolokol.' ' 

"  Damn  his  insolence !  And  of  course  the  Muscovite 
crew  howled  applause?  Was  Ravenna  in  his  place?" 

"  Xo ;  the  cardinal,  having  been  the  chief  instrument  in 
the  princess's  conversion,  shrank  somewhat  from  facing 
the  wrathful  Muscovites  last  night.  He  preferred  the 
opera-house." 

"  The  coward !    Would  that  I  had  been  there !  " 

"  What !  at  the  opera  ?  Yes,  it  was  well  worth  visiting, 
because  —  " 

"  A  truce  to  your  fooling.    What  happened  next  ?  " 

"  After  order  had  been  restored  —  for,  of  course,  Rad- 
zivil's  statement  provoked  a  devil  of  a  row  —  Lipski  rose 
and  begged  leave  to  bring  in  a  new  bill.  Lamenting  the 
increased  taxation  —  and  you  know,  marshal,  my  Budget 
is  devilishly  heavy  this  year  —  he  introduced  a  measure 
for  the  appropriation  of  all  plate,  jewels,  and  money  be 
longing  to  the  conventual  establishments  throughout 
Czernova,  such  wealth  to  be  devoted  to  the  needs  of  the 
state." 

"  Ha !  "  cried  Zabern.  '  This  is  nothing  else  but  an 
attack  upon  the  princess's  faith.  '  I  have  become  a  Cath 
olic,'  she  avers.  '  Then  we  will  plunder  your  Church,'  is, 
in  effect,  the  Muscovite  answer." 

202 


A  Display  of  Swordsmanship 

''  True,  marshal ;  for  though  the  bill  affects  to  treat 
both  creeds,  Latin  and  Greek,  alike,  yet  inasmuch  as  the 
Latin  convents  are  numerous  and  wealthy,  while  those  of 
the  Greek  faith  are  few  and  comparatively  poor  — 

"  It 's  a  case  of  '  I  '11  share  my  kopek  with  you,  if  you  '11 
share  your  rouble  with  me,'  eh  ?  " 

"  Just  so,  marshal.  Well,  the  bill  was  rushed  through 
its  first  reading  — 

"  Fire  and  brimstone !  where,  then,  was  our  party  with 
its  splendid  majority  ?  " 

"  You  forget  that  Rubini  was  here  last  night.'' 

"  Who  's  he  ? "  asked  Zabern,  whose  ignorance  of 
everybody  and  everything  outside  the  circle  of  politics 
was  simply  astounding. 

"  Come,  marshal,  you  jest  —  Rubini,  the  Italian,  the 
great  opera-singer." 

"  The  devil  fly  away  with  him  !     Well?  " 

;'  The  opera  was  '  The  Bohemian  Girl.'  Rubini  took 
the  part  of  Thaddeus.  It  would  have  brought  the  tears 
to  your  eyes,  marshal,  to  hear  him  sing,  '  When  the  fair 
land  of  Poland  was  ploughed.' ' 

"  It  would  —  to  hear  a  damnable  Italian  turning  the 
sorrows  of  our  fatherland  into  a  medium  for  putting 
rouble-notes  into  his  pockets.  But  what  has  this  to  do 
with  the  Diet?" 

"  Why,  most  of  those  on  our  side  of  the  House  went  to 
hear  Rubini." 

"  Including  a  simpleton  named  Dorislas.  And  so 
Lipski  and  his  Muscovite  crew  took  advantage  of  the 
emptiness  of  the  benches  on  the  Right  to  spring  this  new 
bill  upon  the  Diet.  But,  sword  of  St.  Michael,  did  n't 
Radzivil  send  Opalinski  to  the  opera-house  to  summon 
away  the  absentee  fools  ?  " 

"  He  did,  with  this  result.  When  Opalinski  arrived 
Rubini  was  singing,  and  our  whip  became  so  entranced 
that  he  quite  forgot  the  errand  on  which  he  had  come,  till 

203 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

—  till  it  was  too  late.  When  our  fellows  came  trooping 
back  they  were  met  with  derisive  laughter  from  the 
Left." 

"  The  bill  had  already  passed  its  first  reading?  " 

"  Precisely,  marshal.  But  that 's  not  all.  Lipski  had 
likewise  proposed  that,  pending  the  issue  of  this  infernal 
bill,  the  precincts  of  the  monasteries  shall  be  patrolled  by 
the  military." 

"  To  prevent  the  monks  from  removing  their  treasures." 

'  That  ?s  the  object.     The  Diet  passed  the  resolution. 

Radzivil,  as  servant  of  the  House,  was  obliged  to  submit, 

with  the  result  that  to-day  there  is  not  a  monastery  in 

Czernova  that  has  not  bayonets  moving  round  it." 

"  Including  the  Convent  of  the  Transfiguration  ? " 
asked  Zabern. 

"  Including  the  Convent  of  the  Transfiguration,"  an 
swered  Dorislas. 

Zabern  muttered  some  oaths  under  his  breath.  Pres 
ently,  however,  he  broke  into  a  grim  smile. 

"  Lipski  is  a  shrewder  fellow  than  I  gave  him  credit 
for.  A  clever  stroke  this  on  his  part  —  to  prevent  us 
from  entering  that  monastery  by  turning  our  own  bay 
onets  against  us." 

"  Marshal,"  said  Dorislas,  looking  very  grave,  "  if 
Lipski's  measure  should  pass  — 

"If?"  repeated  Zabern  disdainfully.  "We  will  ex 
tinguish  it  on  the  second  reading." 

"  Which  has  been  fixed  for  this  day  month.     Lipski 
boasts  that  there  are  surprises  in  store  for  ministers,  that 
there  will  be  numerous  defections  on  our  side." 
'  Boasts  '  -  —  that  is  a  good  word,  Dorislas." 

"  If  that  bill  should  become  law,  commissioners  ap 
pointed  by  the  Diet  will  make  a  round  of  the  monasteries 
for  the  purpose  of  appropriating  their  wealth ;  when  they 
come  to  the  Convent  of  the  Transfiguration  they  will 
discover  —  " 

204 


A  Display  of  Swordsmanship 

"  What  we  do  not  wish  them  to  discover.  But  as  the 
bill  has  not  the  remotest  chance  of  passing,  we  may  pre 
serve  a  serene  mind  on  the  matter." 

Dorislas  said  no  more.  Though  he  was  of  an  optimis 
tic  nature,  it  was  clear  from  his  grave  manner  that  he  did 
not  share  in  Zabern's  hopeful  views. 

The  quartette  had  now  reached  the  salle  d'armes.  Over 
the  portico  hung  the  banner  of  the  Lilieskis,  which  Paul 
reverently  saluted,  for  was  he  not  honoring  Barbara  by 
the  act? 

"  That  flag,"  said  Zabern,  "  shall  one  day  float  over  a 
wider  area  than  Czernova." 

Passing  beneath  the  portico,  they  entered  a  fine  and 
spacious  hall,  decorated  in  a  style  that  harmonized  with 
its  use.  Along  the  walls  were  suits  of  armor,  and  pictures 
of  duels,  tournaments,  and  battles.  The  oaken  panels 
were  hung  with  swords,  muskets,  and  pistols,  so  arranged 
as  to  form  devices,  the  favorite  one  being  the  arms  of 
Poland. 

"  Whenever  a  man  is  mentioned  to  me  for  promotion," 
remarked  Zabern,  "  I  always  bring  him  here  for  a  bout. 
Ten  minutes'  fencing  will  give  me  a  better  idea  of  his 
character  than  a  month's  investigation." 

Paul,  in  view  of  his  recent  appointment,  wondered 
whether  this  remark  was  intended  for  application  to 
himself. 

Among  the  Czernovese  nobles  and  military  officers  as 
sembled  in  this  hall  was  Count  Radzivil,  occupied  in  a 
fencing-bout.  In  Paul's  eyes  the  sight  of  the  gray-headed 
premier  of  seventy  parrying  and  lunging  with  all  the 
ardor  of  a  boy  of  seventeen  was  significant  of  much.  It 
seemed  like  a  preparation  for  more  serious  work  in  the 
near  future. 

What  surprised  Paul  still  more  was  a  bevy  of  youthful 
ladies  fencing  with  each  other  at  the  far  end  of  the  hall ; 
and  of  this  number  was  Katina,  engaged  in  spirited  con- 

205 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

test  with  her  sister  Juliska,  a  maiden  so  pretty  that  a  man 
must  have  had  the  insensibility  of  a  stone  not  to  have 
wished  for  a  kiss. 

All  ceased  their  play  upon  the  entering  of  Zabern,  who 
in  a  brief  and  graceful  speech  introduced  Paul  to  the 
assembly  as  the  princess's  new  secretary. 

The  Englishman  who  had  conducted  the  famous  de 
fence  of  Tajapore  could  not  fail  to  be  a  person  of  in 
terest,  —  an  interest  enhanced  by  the  fact  that  he  had  not 
shrunk  from  facing  in  duel  the  champion  swordsman  of 
Czernova. 

Curious  glances  were  interchanged,  both  among  the 
ladies  and  likewise  among  the  gentlemen,  the  meaning  of 
which  was  laughingly  explained  by  Zabern. 

"  The  truth  is,  Captain  Woodville,  we  are  hoping  to  see 
a  little  English  sword-play,  in  order  that  we  may  know 
who  is  to  be  congratulated  by  the  princess's  intervention 
yesterday,  —  yourself  or  the  duke." 

Paul  modestly  professed  himself  willing  to  give  a  dis 
play  of  his  skill  if  any  one  would  come  forward  to  meet 
him. 

"  We  have  here,"  continued  Zabern,  "  the  six  best 
fencers  in  Czernova  after  the  duke.  If  you  can  defeat 
any  of  these  we  shall  be  able  to  form  some  notion  as  to 
how  he  would  have  fared  at  your  hands." 

The  six  champions  in  order  of  merit  were  adjudged  as 
follows :  —  Firstly,  Zabern,  the  Warden  of  the  Charter ; 
secondly,  Miroslav,  the  governor  of  the  Citadel ;  next, 
Dorislas,  the  Minister  of  Finance ;  then  Count  Radzivil, 
the  Premier;  Brunowski,  the  President  of  the  Diet,  fol 
lowed  ;  and,  lastly,  came  Nikita  the  trooper. 

"  And,"  whispered  Zabern  to  Paul,  "  if  we  were  to 
choose  a  seventh  it  would  not  be  a  man  but  a  woman,  and 
she  none  other  than  Katina." 

Paul  bowed  to  the  six  men,  and  expressed  his  readiness 
to  meet  in  fencing-bout  any  one  of  the  number,  or  all  in 

206 


A  Display  of  Swordsmanship 

turn ;  and  taking  up  a  fencing-blade,  a  blunt  sabre  with  its 
point  topped  by  a  button,  he  stood  prepared  to  make  good 
his  words. 

Across  the  middle  of  the  hall  upon  the  oaken  flooring 
ran  a  silver  line  to  which  the  opposing  fencers  were  re 
quired  to  apply  their  right  foot ;  they  might  step  over  this 
mark  if  they  chose,  but  to  recede  from  it  by  so  little  as  an 
inch  was  counted  for  defeat. 

As  Paul  declined  to  nominate  an  antagonist  there  was 
a  slight  argument  on  the  part  of  the  six  as  to  the  one  who 
should  first  respond. 

After  some  hesitation  Count  Radzivil  stepped  forward. 

"  I  fear  I  am  too  highly  appraised,"  he  modestly  re 
marked,  "  when  I  am  placed  among  the  seven  best  fencers 
in  Czernova." 

All  drew  near  to  witness  the  contest.  A  double  ring 
was  immediately  formed,  the  ladies  being  seated  in  a 
circle  with  the  gentlemen  standing  in  their  rear,  the  plac 
ing  of  the  chairs  having  naturally  afforded  opportunity 
for  some  pretty  pieces  of  gallantry. 

Paul  was  secretly  conscious  that  though  Zabern  with 
Katina  and  Juliska  might  regard  him  favorably,  he  did 
not  possess  the  sympathy  of  the  rest  of  the  persons  pres 
ent,  who  resented  the  unaccountable  act  of  their  princess 
in  appointing  as  her  secretary  one  who  was  not  only  a  for 
eigner  but  a  complete  stranger  to  the  principality.  Were 
there  no  loyal  Czernovese  from  whom  her  choice  might 
have  been  made? 

Paul  knew,  too,  that  among  those  who  stood  around 
were  some  who  bore  the  proudest  names  in  Polish  history ; 
he  himself  had  neither  title  nor  long  genealogy,  but  if 
there  be  an  order  of  nobility  founded  upon  superiority  in 
swordsmanship  he  determined  to  show  that  he  was  a  mem 
ber  of  that  order,  and  that  it  would  not  be  well  for  any 
man  to  put  a  slight  upon  him,  because  of  the  favor  shown 
him  by  the  princess. 

207 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

On  finding  himself  engaged  in  a  contest  with  the 
premier  Paul  felt  some  mortification  at  being  pitted 
against  one  so  aged ;  but  a  few  moments'  play  convinced 
him  that  Radzivil's  arm  had  lost  little  of  its  youthful 
strength,  or  of  its  suppleness  and  dexterity.  Paul,  how 
ever,  was  decidedly  the  superior ;  and,  within  the  space 
of  five  minutes  he  succeeded  in  disarming  the  count, 
whose  blade  flying  through  the  air  would  have  struck 
Katina,  had  she  not  adroitly  warded  it  off  with  her  own 
fencing-foil. 

Zabern,  who  had  watched  Paul  with  eyes  that  had 
hardly  winked  once,  seemed  pleased  with  the  result. 

"  An  accident !  "  commented  Dorislas,  really  believing 
the  premier  to  have  been  the  superior  of  the  two. 

He  himself  was  the  next  to  engage,  and  again  Zabern 
watched  every  motion  of  Paul  with  unwinking  eyes. 

As  a  swordsman  Dorislas  excelled  Radzivil ;  but, 
heated  with  a  desire  to  vindicate  the  honor  of  Czernova, 
which  he  conceived  had  suffered  at  the  hands  of  the 
premier,  he  became  rash,  was  more  disposed  to  attack 
than  to  guard,  and  the  second  contest  terminated  in  less 
time  than  the  first  by  the  button  of  Paul's  sabre  coming 
full  tilt  against  the  breast  of  the  Finance  Minister. 

"  Fairly  pinked !  "  said  Zabern,  evidently  more  pleased 
than  before.  "  No  accident  this  time." 

The  expression  of  surprise  and  bewilderment  on  the 
face  of  Dorislas  at  a  result  so  little  anticipated  by  himself 
was  so  comically  pathetic  that  the  spectators  could  not 
refrain  from  laughter. 

"  You  were  a  dead  man,  Dorislas,  had  that  been  a  real 
duel,"  they  cried. 

Paul  was  beginning  to  rise  in  their  esteem. 

Miroslav  next  ventured  to  try  his  hand,  and  once 
more  Zabern  became  so  attentive  that  one  might  almost 
have  fancied  his  own  life  hung  upon  the  issue. 

Profiting  by  the  lesson  of  Dorislas'  rashness  the  gover- 
208 


A  Display  of  Swordsmanship 

nor  of  the  Citadel  commenced  in  a  spirit  of  coolness  and 
watchfulness,  —  a  spirit  that  quickly  evaporated  when  he 
found  himself  met  at  every  point.  He  gave  more  trouble 
than  his  predecessors,  but  in  the  end  Paul  succeeded  in 
twisting  the  weapon  from  his  hand. 

Zabern's  pleasure  increased. 

"  Good  luck,  not  science,"  cried  Miroslav,  hotly,  "  I 
defy  you  to  repeat  that  trick,  Captain  Woodville.  I  must 
have  a  second  bout." 

This  demand  was  not  allowed  by  Zabern,  though  Paul 
himself  good-naturedly  offered  to  grant  it. 

"  Miroslav  seems  in  savage  mood  to-day,"  whispered 
a  fair  lady  to  the  cavalier  who  was  bending  over  her. 

"  He  suffered  a  prisoner  to  escape  yesterday,"  replied 
her  partner,  "  and  as  a  consequence  he  had  a  mauvais 
quart  d'heure  with  the  princess  this  morning.  Hinc  ill<2 
lacrimce." 

"  Captain  Woodville  ought  now  to  give  his  arm  a  rest," 
cried  Katina. 

But  Paul,  perceiving  the  favorable  impression  that  he 
was  making,  expressed  his  readiness  to  proceed  without 
delay. 

"  I  am  now  to  be  your  opponent,"  said  Zabern,  taking 
up  a  fencing-blade  in  his  left  and  only  hand,-"  and  I  warn 
you,  Captain  Woodville,  to  be  careful." 

This  caution  was  not  without  its  need.  Zabern  was 
considered  by  those  best  qualified  to  judge  the  second 
swordsman  in  Czernova,  and  Paul  quickly  found  that  he 
had  met  an  opponent  nearly  equal,  if  not  equal,  to  him 
self.  The  marshal  had  an  arm  of  steel ;  as  a  warrior  who 
had  faced  the  charge  of  bayonets  on  many  a  battle-field 
he  was  not  likely  to  become  nervous  in  a  mock-contest. 
Cool  and  wary,  after  a  few  preliminary  passes  designed 
to  test  the  other's  skill,  Zabern  seemed  content  to  remain 
for  the  most  part  on  the  defensive,  watching  his  oppor 
tunity.  Paul,  conscious  of  the  marshal's  dexterity,  was 
J4  209 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

disposed  to  do  the  same ;  and  hence  this  fourth  bout  ap 
peared  somewhat  tame  when  contrasted  with  the  spirited 
and  dashing  style  of  the  preceding  contests.  It  promised 
to  prove  indefinitely  long,  till  on  a  sudden  Zabern 
cried,  — 

"  Hold,  I  have  felt  enough  to  know  that  I  am  your 
inferior,  and  as  such,  Captain  Woodville,  I  lower  my 
sword  to  you." 

Which  he  did  in  graceful  fashion,  and,  oddly  enough, 
seeming  to  be  extremely  pleased  over  this  acknowledg 
ment  of  defeat. 

"  You  would  not  have  to  make  such  confession,  mar 
shal,"  said  Paul,  "  if  you  could  recover  the  good  hand 
you  left  behind  in  Russia." 

He  turned  to  glance  at  his  two  remaining  opponents, 
—  Brunowski  and  Nikita. 

"  If  the  marshal,  the  best  of  us  all,  admits  himself 
beaten,"  said  the  President  of  the  Diet,  "  of  what  use  is 
it  for  me  to  try?  " 

The  trooper  murmured  something  to  the  like  effect. 

"  Give  me  leave,"  said  Paul,  "  to  retire  from  this  silver 
line  and  to  move  about  freely,  and  I  will  meet  my  two 
remaining  opponents  together." 

'  That  were  to  take  an  unfair  advantage  of  a  man," 
said  Brunowski,  resenting  Paul's  proposal  as  a  slight 
upon  his  swordsmanship. 

"  Fair  or  unfair,"  growled  Zabern,  "  step  forward,  both 
of  you,  and  let  us  see  whether  Captain  Woodville  can  do 
it.  If  you  deem  his  word  a  boast,  prove  it  to  be  such." 

The  ladies,  too,  curiously  eager  to  witness  fresh  proofs 
of  Paul's  skill,  added  their  voices  to  Zabern's,  and  thus 
adjured  the  two  men  came  forward  and  faced  Paul. 

As  plenty  of  space  would  be  required  for  the  coming 
bout,  the  ladies  arose,  the  chairs  were  removed,  and  a 
wide  circuit  formed. 

"  A  thousand  roubles  to  a  hundred  that  the  Englishman 

2IO 


A  Display  of  Swordsmanship 

succeeds,"  said  Zabern  to  Dorislas,  who  seeing  confidence 
written  large  on  the  marshal's  face,  declined  the  wager. 

This  fifth  contest  formed  a  brilliant  finale. 

Smarting  under  what  they  considered  contemptuous 
disparagement,  and  eager  to  punish  the  vanity  of  the 
Englishman,  Brunowski  and  Nikita  pressed  hard  upon 
Paul.  Each  was  no  mean  fencer,  though  much  inferior 
to  Zabern,  and  Paul  was  quickly  compelled  to  retreat 
from  the  silver  line  upon  which  he  had  at  first  planted 
himself.  The  previous  work  seemed  child's  play  when 
compared  with  this.  The  interchange  of  cut  and  thrust 
was  so  swift  that  the  eyes  of  the  spectators  failed  to  fol 
low  the  dazzling  motions  of  the  weapons.  Despite  their 
endeavors  the  two  men  failed  to  touch  Paul,  who  at  last 
saw  his  opportunity.  With  one  powerful  stroke  he 
shivered  Nikita's  blade  to  fragments,  and  almost  simul 
taneously  he  planted  the  button  of  his  sabre  upon  Bru- 
nowski's  breast. 

The  members  of  the  assembly  looked  at  one  another 
in  breathless  wonder.  Among  a  people  who,  like  the 
Czernovese,  retain  much  of  the  spirit  of  the  feudal  age,  he 
is  most  in  esteem  who  is  best  able  to  defend  himself.  In 
one  sense,  therefore,  Paul  was  the  foremost  man  in  the 
principality.  The  resentment  previously  felt  against  him 
had  now  changed  to  unalloyed  admiration. 

"  Such  swordsmanship  was  never  seen  in  Czernova," 
cried  Juliska. 

'  Ten  thousand  devils !  "  muttered  Zabern  to  himself. 
"Why  did  her  Highness  intervene  in  the  duel  yesterday?" 

And  then  aloud  he  added,  — 

"  Ladies  and  lords,  we  must  all  admit  that  his  grace  of 
Bora  has  much  reason  to  be  grateful  to  the  princess." 

No  one  ventured  to  controvert  this  statement. 

Zabern's  eyes  twinkled  with   secret  satisfaction. 

"  Marshal,"  whispered  Juliska.  "  You  have  some  plan 
in  your  head.  You  have  been  trying  an  experiment,  I 

211 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

know  you  have.  Come,  tell  me.  Of  what  are  you 
thinking?  " 

"  That  the  princess's  coronation-day  will  be  a  very 
exciting  time,"  replied  Zabern,  oracularly. 

And  this  was  the  only  answer  she  could  draw  from  the 
smiling  marshal. 

"  Beaten !  The  whole  six !  "  cried  Katina  in  a  voice  of 
grief.  "  Shame  upon  Czernova !  Captain  Woodville  will 
have  but  a  poor  opinion  of  us.  Let  us  show,  however, 
that  we  can  shoot  if  we  cannot  fence." 

With  this  Katina  directed  one  of  the  attendants  to  hang 
a  square  white-painted  board  upon  the  wall  at  one  end  of 
the  hall.  Then  taking  her  station  at  the  other  end  with  a 
supply  of  loaded  revolvers,  she  proceeded  to  aim  at  the 
distant  board,  the  shots  succeeding  each  other  with  a 
rapidity  that  scarcely  left  an  interval  of  silence. 

The  result  of  this  firing  was  to  cause  a  large  oval  to 
appear  upon  the  surface  of  the  board.  The  revolvers  hav 
ing  been  reloaded,  Katina  resumed  her  shooting.  Now 
within  the  oval  lines  and  curves  began  to  appear,  the 
whole  assuming  the  outline  of  a  human  countenance,  and 
that  so  well  executed  as  to  be  clearly  recognizable  by 
those  acquainted  with  the  original. 

"  OrlofF,  the  governor-general  of  Warsaw,"  cried  sev 
eral  voices  in  unison. 

"  Czernova  will  never  lack  a  good  tirailleur  so  long  as 
Katina  Ludovska  be  living,"  said  Zabern,  adding  in  a 
lower  tone,  "  why  have  you  learned  to  shoot  so  well  ?  " 

"  Can  you  ask  ? "  she  replied  in  a  fierce  whisper. 
"  Against  the  day  of  my  meeting  with  Orloff.  Can  any 
one  beat  that  shooting?"  she  added  aloud,  with  an  in- 
vitatory  glance  at  Paul,  who  smiled  a  negative. 

A  shout  of  applause  went  up  in  favor  of  Katina,  who 
was  considered  to  have  redeemed  the  honor  of  Czernova. 

"  Ah !  why  were  you  not  born  a  Pole  ?  "  said  Juliska, 
addressing  Paul. 

212 


A  Display  of  Swordsmanship 

"  May  I  not  become  one?" 

"  Then  shall  you  be  a  better  Pole  than  any  of  us,"  said 
Katina,  "  for  whereas  we  are  such  by  accident  of  birth, 
you  will  be  such  by  freedom  of  choice." 

"  Well  said,  Katina,"  observed  Zabern.  "  And  never 
was  there  one  whom  I  more  willingly  admit  to  Czernovese 
citizenship.  But  Captain  Woodville,"  he  added,  thought 
fully,  "  it  will  be  well  if  you  remain  a  British  subject  for 
a  few  more  days.  Why,  the  sequel  will  show." 

And  Paul,  believing  that  Zabern  did  not  speak  without 
good  reason,  assented  to  the  delay. 

There  was  no  more  fencing  in  the  salle  d'armes  that 
day.  The  members  shrank  from  displaying  their  inferior 
powers  before  such  an  expert  as  Paul.  The  assembly 
broke  up  into  little  groups. 

"  And  how  fares  our  ducal  prisoner?  "  asked  Radzivil, 
addressing  the  governor  of  the  Citadel. 

"  In  somewhat  gloomy  mood,"  answered  Miroslav. 
"  He  spends  his  time  chiefly  in  drinking  old  Rhenish, 
and  in  muttering  to  himself.  By  the  way,  he  did  a  very 
peculiar  act  immediately  after  entering  the  Citadel  last 
evening." 

"Ha!"  exclaimed  Zabern,  catching  at  this.  "What 
was  the  act  ?  " 

"  You  know,  marshal,  it  is  our  rule  to  search  all  pris 
oners  on  their  entering,  —  a  routine  from  which  we  did 
not  except  even  his  grace." 

"  And  what  did  you  discover  ?  " 

"  Upon  his  person  —  nothing ;  that  is,  nothing  of  con 
sequence.  But  a  few  minutes  afterwards  a  soldier  caught 
sight  of  the  remains  of  a  book  burning  upon  a  fire  that 
was  close  by." 

"  Flung  there  by  the  duke  ?  " 

"  Without  doubt.  The  mystery  is  how  he  contrived  to 
do  it  without  our  knowledge,  inasmuch  as  there  were 
several  persons  standing  by." 

213 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

"You  recovered  the  book  from  the  flames?" 

"  We  attempted  to  remove  it  with  the  tongs,  but  the 
thing  fell  to  pieces ;  the  pages  were  consumed ;  nothing 
but  the  leather  cover  remained,  and  that  all  charred ;  upon 
it  we  could  just  discern  the  title." 

"  And   that   was  —  ?  " 

"  '  The  Plays  of  vEschylus.'  Now  why  should  the  duke 
desire  to  destroy  his  copy  of  the  Greek  poet  ? 

"  He  had  a  motive,  I  warrant,  and  that  a  powerful  one. 
I  wish,  Miroslav,  you  had  secured  the  volume  in  time. 
/Eschylus,  ^Eschylus,"  repeated  Zabern,  thoughtfully. 
"  My  classical  scholarship  has  long  since  evaporated,  but 
if  I  remember  rightly,"  he  added,  his  countenance  sud 
denly  lighting  up  with  a  new  idea,  "yEschylus  wrote  a  play 
called  '  The  Furies.' ' 

"  True,  marshal,''  replied  Paul.  "  '  The  Eumenides  '  or 
'  The  Furies.'  " 

Zabern,  with  excitement  gleaming  in  his  face,  drew 
Paul  aside. 

"The  clew  to  the  cipher  despatch!"  he  whispered. 
"  The  last  words  of  our  friend  Trevisa  were  '  the 
furies ' ! " 


214 


CHAPTER  X 

THE   DEED    OF    MICHAEL    THE    GUARDSMAN 

ACCOMPANIED  by  Zabern,  Paul  returned  to  the 
palace,  where  he  was  met  by  the  court  chamber 
lain,  who  conducted  him  to  a  fine  suite  of  apart 
ments,   which  by  the   special  command  of  the  princess 
were  assigned  to  the  new  secretary. 

Supplied  by  Zabern  with  the  cipher  despatch,  and  by 
the  court  librarian  with  a  copy  of  the  "  Eumenides,"  Paul, 
having  first  requested  to  be  left  to  himself,  sat  down  to 
work  out  the  cryptographic  problem. 

The  paper  given  to  him  by  the  marshal  was  covered 
with  rows  of  numerals,  separated  from  each  other  by 
dots. 

The  first  eight  numbers  were  as  follows,  — 

6  .  42  .   50  .  37  .  97  .  39  .  65   .   21 

What  did  these  figures  represent?  Certain  words  in 
the  Greek  play  ?  If  the  sixth  word  of  the  "  Eumenides," 
the  forty-second,  the  fiftieth  and  so  forth,  were  picked 
out  and  placed  in  immediate  sequence,  would  they  yield 
an  intelligible  sentence? 

He  tried  this  method  with  the  above  numbers,  but  the 
result  did  not  encourage  him  to  proceed. 

It  was  not  likely  that  the  writer  of  the  despatch  in 
tended  to  forward  such  intelligence  as :  "  Of  gods  and 
a  name  a  daughter  of  an  art  was  seated  into  an  oracle." 

On  reflection  Paul  perceived  the  improbability  that  the 
215 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

numbers  stood  for  words,  inasmuch  as  the  vocabulary  of 
an  ancient  Greek  poet  would  be  insufficient  to  supply  all 
the  terms  required  by  the  usages  of  modern  civilization, 
such,  for  example,  as  passport,  banknote,  or  rifle.  And 
to  clench  the  matter,  Paul  observed  that  towards  the  end 
of  the  despatch  there  was  the  number,  .8537.  Now  the 
total  of  words  in  the  "  Eumenides  "  falls  considerably 
short  of  that  sum. 

But  if  all  the  letters  that  composed  the  words  of  the 
play  were  numbered  in  consecutive  order  from  IT.  the 
first  to  9  the  last,  then,  indeed,  the  sum  total  would  far 
exceed  8537. 

Paul  resolved  to  test  this  theory,  namely,  that  6  was 
intended  to  mean  the  sixth  letter  in  the  "  Eumenides," 
42  the  forty-second  letter,  etc. 

Great  was  his  delight  when  he  produced  the  following 
result,  — 

.6  .  42  .   50  .   37  .  97  .  39  .  65   .   21  . 


Nicholas,  the  name  of  the  reigning  Czar! 

Proceeding  in  the  same  fashion,  Paul  found  that  the 
numbers  following  those  which  stood  for  Nicholas 
yielded  the  intelligible  word  ovvaiverai,  "  assents." 

"  To  what  does  Nicholas  assent  ? "  murmured  Paul. 
"  Let  me  endeavor  to  ascertain,  since  it  is  quite  clear  that 
the  key  to  the  cipher  is  now  in  my  hands." 

Obviously  his  best  course  would  be  to  go  through  the 
"  Eumenides  "  first,  marking,  say,  every  tenth  letter  with 
its  proper  consecutive  number.  This  done,  the  work  of 
decipherment  would  take  but  a  few  minutes. 

Paul  started  on  this  most  monotonous  task,  —  a  task 
that  occupied  him  more  than  four  hours,  from  the  neces 
sity  imposed  upon  him  of  verifying  his  enumeration  from 
time  to  time,  for  a  single  error  in  his  calculation  would 

216 


The  Deed  of  Michael  the  Guardsman 

have  confused  the  whole  issue.  And  when  at  last  his 
copy  of  the  "  Eumenides  "  lay  ready  figured  for  use,  the 
misgiving  seized  him  that  perhaps,  after  all,  his  labor 
had  been  in  vain. 

"  Various  readings  occur  in  the  manuscripts  of  the 
'  Eumenides,'  "  he  muttered.  "  If  the  writer  of  this  de 
spatch  has  used  a  different  edition  from  mine, — Dindorf, 
Lips.  1827,  —  well,  then,  lack-a-day!" 

Fortunately,  however,  the  result  falsified  his  misgiving. 

Once  during  his  calculations  the  eager  Zabern  had  en 
tered  the  apartment  with  the  question,  "  What  progress?" 

"  Return  in  two  hours,  and  you  shall  have  the  solution." 

And  the  marshal  had  withdrawn,  somewhat  doubtful 
of  Paul's  ability  to  make  good  his  promise. 

However,  before  the  expiration  of  the  two  hours  Paul 
had  mastered  the  contents  of  the  document.  It  was  writ 
ten  in  Greek,  and,  as  the  marshal's  knowledge  of  that 
language  was  extremely  limited,  Paul  spent  some  time 
in  endeavoring  to  produce  a  faithful  translation.  And 
his  rendering  was  as  follows,  — 

Nicholas  assents.  So  proceed  quickly.  Risk  of  dis 
covery  in  transmitting  document.  Therefore  burn  as 
soon  as  seised.  When  done,  report  matter.  Envoy  will 
follow  to  demand  production. 

Lipski's  measure  approved.  Money  shall  be  forwarded 
by  usual  route.  Let  him  bribe  freely.  The  success  of  his 
bill  Russia's  justification.  Impossible,  then,  for  Europe 
to  oppose  annexation.  —  ORLOFF. 

The  signature  seemed  to  show  that  the  letter  came  from 
the  governor-general  of  Warsaw,  the  knouter  of  Katina, 
but  there  was  nothing  to  indicate  the  person  for  whom  it 
was  intended.  Paul  had  little  doubt  as  to  the  correctness 
of  his  decipherment,  though  the  meaning  was  far  from 
clear  to  him. 

217 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

Zabern  would  doubtless  be  able  to  understand  the  allu 
sions,  and  if  the  marshal  should  not  soon  make  his  ap 
pearance  Paul  was  resolved  to  go  in  quest  of  him. 

The  night  was  now  far  advanced,  and,  having  been  at 
work  several  hours  in  a  close  chamber,  Paul  was  begin 
ning  to  feel  somewhat  languid.  He  therefore  walked  for 
ward  and  opened  a  casement  to  gain  a  breath  of  the 
fresher  air  without. 

It  was  dark  and  cloudy,  and  as  he  stood  looking  forth 
a  mournful  wind  dashed  rain-drops  into  his  face. 

The  part  of  the  palace  in  which  this  apartment  was  situ 
ated  formed  the  extremity  of  an  architectural  wing,  which 
was  fronted  at  the  distance  of  about  a  hundred  feet  by  a 
second  wing  equal  in  length  to  the  first  and  parallel  with 
it.  These  two  wings  formed  with  the  main  structure  the 
three  sides  of  a  court. 

As  he  casually  turned  his  eyes  upon  the  opposite  wing, 
at  the  point  where  it  formed  an  angle  with  the  main  build 
ing,  Paul  thought  he  detected  a  movement  on  the  part  of 
somebody  or  something  about  half-way  between  the  roof 
and  the  ground.  Straining  his  eyes  to  the  utmost,  he  be 
came  convinced  that  what  he  saw  dimly  outlined  against 
the  gray  wall  was  the  figure  of  a  man  poised  in  mid-air ; 
for  as  Paul  could  detect  no  ladder  beneath  him,  he  could 
only  come  to  the  conclusion  that  the  fellow  was  suspended 
by  a  rope. 

The  man  made  no  attempt  to  ascend  or  descend,  but 
continued  in  the  one  position ;  and  as  far  as  Paul  could 
discern  in  the  darkness  his  arm  was  moving  to  and  fro 
with  horizontal  motion. 

Now  just  at  the  place  where  this  man  hung  there  was, 
as  Paul  had  observed  earlier  in  the  evening,  a  small  win- 
dowr,  a  window  crossed  by  iron  bars. 

A  grated  window  in  a  palace  suggests  the  idea  that  the 
room  thus  secured  is  used  for  the  preservation  of  things 
valuable ;  at  any  rate  this  was  Paul's  idea.  He  believed 

218 


The  Deed  of  Michael  the  Guardsman 

that  the  fellow  was  quietly  removing  the  iron  bars  with 
the  view  of  procuring'  whatever  it  was  that  lay  behind 
them. 

It  was  an  extremely  hazardous  enterprise.  True,  the 
man  was  favored  by  the  darkness,  and  by  the  noise  of 
wind  and  rain,  but  at  any  moment  he  was  liable  to  be  sur 
prised  by  the  night-watch  going  its  rounds,  either  in  the 
courtyard  below  or  on  the  roof  above. 

Two  sentinels  paced  the  very  battlements  overlooking 
this  court.  Earlier  in  the  evening  Paul  had  heard  their 
footsteps  overhead  and  their  challenges.  Were  they 
asleep?  If  not,  they  must  be  keeping  a  very  lax  watch 
to  permit  this  man  to  perform  such  work  under  their 
very  eyes. 

Then  the  truth  flashed  upon  Paul.  The  man  himself 
was  a  soldier,  one  of  the  two  appointed  to  patrol  this  par 
ticular  part  of  the  roof.  The  other  was  his  confederate. 
Both  were  engaged  in  some  nefarious  work.  Treason 
was  afoot  in  the  palace ! 

Rejecting  his  first  impulse,  which  was  to  steal  quietly 
downstairs  and  summon  the  guard,  Paul  resolved  to 
tackle  the  two  single-handed.  As  there  was  no  staircase 
from  his  room  to  the  roof,  he  determined  to  mount  to  the 
battlements  by  means  of  a  water-pipe  adjacent  to  his 
window. 

Thrusting  a  loaded  pistol  within  his  breast,  he  stepped 
out  upon  the  window-sill,  and  pulling  himself  up  by  the 
water-pipe  silently  and  quickly,  he  clambered  over  the 
battlements  without  detection.  Keeping  within  an  em 
brasure,  he  peered  out  along  the  roof.  There,  a  few 
yards  distant,  outlined  against  the  sky,  was  the  tall, 
cloaked  figure  of  a  sentinel  leaning  upon  his  rifle  and 
with  his  eyes  turned  towards  the  grated  window. 

Paul,  glancing  in  the  same  direction,  could  no  longer 
see  the  man  hanging  in  mid-air.  A  faint  glow  of  light 
stole  through  the  mysterious  window.  Hence  Paul  con- 

219 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

eluded  that  the  fellow  was  now  within  the  chamber  occu 
pied  upon  the  matter  that  had  brought  him  there. 

Stealing  noiselessly  forward,  Paul  suddenly  clapped 
his  hand  upon  the  sentinel's  shoulder,  and,  pointing  to 
the  grated  window  he  cried,  — 

"  Do  you  intend  to  arrest  that  villain,  or  are  you  his 
confederate?  " 

The  sentinel  instantly  turned,  with  confusion  and  guilt 
written  upon  his  face.  Misled  by  the  uniform,  he  took 
Paul  for  a  Czernovese  officer,  and  as  such  he  was  one 
that  must  be  silenced  at  all  costs,  for  it  was  death  to  be 
caught  thus  in  the  act  of  treason. 

Lowering  his  bayonetted  rifle  to  the  charge,  he  made  a 
thrust  at  Paul's  body.  But  Paul,  on  the  watch  for  this 
movement,  sprang  aside,  wrested  the  rifle  away,  and 
clubbing  it,  dealt  the  fellow  a  fearful  blow  on  the  head. 
The  sentinel  staggered  back  and  dropped  to  the  pave 
ment,  where  he  lay  senseless  and  still. 

Peering  over  the  battlements  to  learn  whether  this 
action  on  his  part  had  been  observed,  Paul  was  surprised 
to  see  a  blue  light  at  the  chamber-window.  The  man 
was  flashing  a  lantern  to  and  fro,  an  action  that  lasted 
for  a  few  seconds. 

Recovering  from  his  surprise,  Paul  sped  onward,  and 
reached  the  battlement  to  which  the  rope  was  attached. 

Kneeling  within  an  embrasure  and  glancing  down 
wards,  he  perceived  a  faint  cloud  of  smoke  proceeding 
from  the  window. 

What  was  taking  place  within?  Was  the  fellow  set 
ting  fire  to  this  part  of  the  palace? 

It  was  not  in  Paul's  nature  to  remain  inactive  while 
evil  was  in  progress.  He  instantly  resolved  to  descend  to 
the  chamber  for  the  purpose  of  putting  a  stop  to  what  he 
could  not  doubt  was  nefarious  work.  Grasping  the  rope 
with  both  hands,  he  swung  himself  downwards,  not 
neglecting,  however,  at  the  same  time  to  keep  an  eye 

220 


The  Deed  of  Michael  the  Guardsman 

upon  the  window.  As  soon  as  his  feet  touched  the  sill 
he  drew  forth  his  pistol,  and  without  pausing-  to  notice 
what  was  happening  within  the  room,  without  a  glance, 
even,  he  sent  his  feet  through  the  space  between  the  bars, 
a  space  barely  sufficient  to  admit  the  passage  of  his  body. 

The  room  was  in  darkness,  —  thus  much  he  was  con 
scious  of  as  he  shot  forward,  and  a  smell  as  of  smoke 
hung  in  the  air.  Paul  fell  supine  upon  the  stone  floor 
ing,  but  he  was  up  again  in  an  instant,  endeavoring  to 
ascertain  through  the  gloom  what  strange  thing  had  hap 
pened  or  was  happening. 

His  attention  was  immediately  arrested  by  a  strange 
voice,  —  a  voice  lowered  to  a  whisper  that  was  full  of 
guilty  terror. 

"  Is  that  you,  Peter?  What  has  brought  you  down? 
In  God's  name  make  no  noise.  Gabor  is  on  guard  in  the 
corridor  outside." 

'  Then  let  Gabor  enter,"  shouted  Paul  in  a  voice  of 
thunder.  "Ho!  without  there!  Gabor,  Gabor,  whoever 
you  may  be,  here  is  a  prisoner  for  you." 

Directed  by  the  voice,  Paul  rushed  forward  through 
the  darkness,  and  with  his  left  hand  he  clutched  the  fel 
low  by  the  throat,  intending  to  reduce  him  to  submission 
by  pressing  the  barrel  of  the  pistol  to  his  forehead.  The 
uplifting  of  the  fellow's  arm  sent  the  weapon  flying  from 
Paul's  hand,  and  next  moment  the  two  men  were  grap 
pling  savagely  together. 

The  soldier,  for  Paul  could  tell  that  he  was  such  by 
the  feel  of  his  uniform,  was  a  powerful  fellow,  and  des 
peration  had  now  doubled  his  strength.  He  knew  that 
the  chamber-door  was  strong,  and  that  the  key  was  not 
in  the  hands  of  the  sentinels  outside ;  if  he  could  over 
come  this  present  antagonist  in  the  interval  that  must 
elapse  before  the  key  could  be  procured,  there  was  a  pos 
sibility  of  his  escaping.  He  wrestled,  therefore,  with  all 
the  fury  of  a  wild  beast. 

221 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

Locked  in  each  other's  arms,  the  two  men  swayed 
backwards  and  forwards,  and  then  fell,  rolling  over  and 
over. 

Paul's  cry,  together  with  the  noise  of  the  scuffle,  had 
attracted  the  notice  of  the  guard  posted  at  the  end  of  the 
corridor  leading  to  this  chamber.  The  shouting  of  voices 
and  the  running  of  feet  were  heard  on  the  other  side  of 
the  door. 

"  Ho !  Lasco,  off  to  the  captain  for  the  key.  The  devil's 
work  is  going  on  within.  How  have  they  managed  to 
get  inside?  Ah,  by  the  window!  Melchior,  up  to  the 
battlement,  and  cover  the  window  with  your  rifle.  See 
they  escape  not !  Now,  Lasco,  dolt !  dullard !  slowbody ! 
don't  stand  gaping  there.  Run  for  the  key.  The  key, 
man,  the  key !  " 

"  The  key  is  here !  "  cried  a  deep,  powerful  voice.  And 
above  the  oaths  and  gasps  of  his  struggling  opponent, 
Paul  could  hear  Zabern's  Hessian  boots  clattering  along 
the  corridor. 

"  Lasco,  quick !  Yon  lamp !  hold  it  up !  "  cried  the 
marshal.  "  Gabor  and  Melchior,  as  I  open  the  door, 
rush  in  and  cover  them  with  your  rifles.  Now !  " 

The  key  rattled  in  the  lock ;  the  massive  door  swung 
back  upon  its  hinges,  and  the  two  sentinels,  eager  to  learn 
what  was  taking  place,  rushed  in  with  rifles  levelled,  ready 
to  fire  at  any  one  who  should  offer  resistance. 

They  paused  in  blank  amazement  at  beholding  by  the 
light  of  the  lamp  one  of  their  own  corps  stretched  supine 
and  panting,  with  Paul  Woodville  above  pinning  him  to 
the  floor  by  the  throat. 

"  Why,  it 's  Michael !  "  cried  Gabor. 

Even  in  the  midst  of  his  excitement  Paul  observed  that 
Zabern  was  carrying  in  his  hand  a  sheet  of  paper  which 
he  recognized  as  his  translation  of  the  cipher  despatch. 

"  In  time,  thank  heaven !  "  murmured  the  marshal, 
from  which  remark  Paul  concluded  that  the  mission  of 

222 


The  Deed  of  Michael  the  Guardsman 

the  traitor-sentinel  was  connected  in  some  way  with  Or- 
loff's  letter. 

"  Gabor,  Lasco,  Melchior,  leave  us.  Close  the  door ; 
retire  to  the  far  end  of  the  corridor,  and  on  your  lives 
stir  not  from  that  spot  till  I  call." 

The  three  sentinels  retired. 

"  Good-night  to  Michael !  "  whispered  Gabor  to  his  two 
comrades.  "  We  shall  never  see  him  again.  I  know  that 
look  in  the  marshal's  eye." 

Paul,  little  the  worse  for  the  struggle,  released  his  hold 
of  the  soldier  and  rose  to  his  feet.  But  it  was  beyond  the 
power  of  the  other  to  rise.  Fear,  inspired  by  the  pres 
ence  of  the  dark-frowning  Zabern,  kept  him  motionless 
and  mute.  He  sat  the  picture  of  abject  terror. 

Now  that  Paul  was  free  to  look  around,  he  observed 
that  he  was  within  a  vaulted  stone  chamber,  about  twenty 
feet  square,  and  but  scantily  supplied  with  furniture.  In 
one  part  there  was  a  small  iron  chest  fixed  to  the  wall 
with  staples.  Paul,  by  some  intuition,  divined  that 
Michael's  nefarious  attempt  was  directed  against  the 
contents  of  this  chest. 

Zabern  made  one  swift  stride  towards  the  coffer,  and 
seemed  relieved  at  finding  it  locked. 

Turning  again,  he  folded  his  arms  and  faced  the  man 
with  a  terrible  frown. 

"  I  shall  not  ask  your  object  in  coming  here.  You  and 
I  both  know  that.  So  you  have  n't  got  it  ?  " 

Michael  made  no  reply. 

"It  is  still  safe?" 

Michael  remained  mute.  He  seemed  literally  frozen 
with  terror. 

"  Why  so  silent,  fellow  ?  Your  tongue  wagged  ever 
loudest  in  the  guard-house." 

"  When  I  first  entered,"  observed  Paul,  "  smoke  hung 
about  the  place." 

An  enthusiastic  orator  in  the  Diet  had  once  described 
223 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

Zabern  as  "  the  man  who  had  never  known  fear."  The 
statement,  if  true  at  the  time  of  the  utterance,  was  cer 
tainly  not  true  now.  Fear  in  all  its  power  fell  upon  the 
heart  of  the  marshal  as  his  eye  caught  sight  of  a  passage 
in  the  paper  which  he  held :  "  Risk  of  discovery  in 
transmitting  document.  Therefore  burn  as  soon  as 
seized." 

"  Hell  shall  seize  you,  fellow,  if  you  have  done  so !  " 
he  cried.  "  Did  you  come  provided  with  a  key,  then  ? 
Where  is  it?" 

Still  Michael  made  no  reply.  Zabern,  following  the 
direction  of  his  eyes,  perceived  a  key  lying  upon  the 
floor.  The  marshal  placed  it  within  the  lock  of  the  chest, 
turned  it,  raised  the  lid,  and  saw  that  the  coffer  con 
tained  nothing  but  a  heap  of  charred  parchment.  Za 
bern,  his  mouth  drawn  in  an  agony  that  showed  all  his 
white  teeth,  rose,  and  with  a  dreadful  look  in  his  eyes 
turned  slowly  round  upon  the  guilty  man. 

A  cry  for  mercy  rang  through  the  chamber  as  the  mar 
shal  sprang  forward  with  drawn  sabre.  His  was  not  a 
'prentice  hand ;  he  knew  exactly  where  to  find  the  fifth 
rib.  A  swift  stab,  —  the  fall  of  a  body,  and  then  all  was 
silent,  save  for  the  mournful  plash  of  the  rain  outside. 

Paul  was  shocked  by  the  ferocity  of  Zabern's  action, 
which  had  been  performed  with  a  quickness  that  left  no 
time  for  intervention. 

"  Without  a  court-martial !  "  he  said,  severely.  "  We 
act  not  so  in  England." 

"  I  dare  not  let  him  live  to  see  those  fellows  outside 
again,  lest  they  should  learn  from  him  what  he  has  done. 
Not  a  hint  as  to  his  deed  must  ever  get  abroad ;  for  he 
who  knows  it  holds  the  destiny  of  Czernova  in  the  hollow 
of  his  hand.  Not  even  to  a  secret  tribunal  must  the  truth 
be  whispered.  And,  Captain  Woodville,"  continued  Za 
bern,  raising  his  dripping  sabre  with  so  menacing  an  air 
that  Paul  immediately  stepped  backward,  and  set  hand  to 

224 


The  Deed  of  Michael  the  Guardsman 

his  own  sword-hilt,  "  if  I  thought  that  you  could  not  hold 
your  peace  I  would  slay  you,  too." 

"  What  has  he  done  ?  "  asked  Paul,  impressed  by  the 
marshal's  strange  manner. 

"  The  blackest  deed  that  could  be  done  against  the 
princess,  and  one  that  has  destroyed  the  liberties  of  a 
whole  people.  Your  decipherment  of  the  secret  despatch 
has  come  too  late  to  do  us  good,  —  too  late.  Oh !  the  bit 
terness  of  it,  by  a  few  moments  only." 

"  I  am  still  in  the  dark,  marshal." 

"On  what  is  the  liberty  of  Czernova  based?  On  the 
Charter  granted  to  us  by  Catherine  of  Russia.  And  that 
Charter  is  now  burnt  paper.  This  is  the  first  act  in  the 
drama.  The  next  will  be,  as  this  despatch  shows,  the 
appearance  of  an  envoy  from  the  Czar  to  demand  on 
what  grounds  Czernova,  formerly  a  part  of  Russian  Po 
land,  claims  to  be  independent.  What  answer  can  we 
give?  What  title  can  we  show?  Without  our  Charter 
we  are  completely  at  the  mercy  of  the  Czar.  His  min 
isters  will  loudly  affirm  that  such  Charter  was  never 
granted,  that  we  have  obtained  autonomy  by  a  lying 
statement,  that  all  extant  copies  of  the  Charter  are  based 
upon  a  mythical  document,  that  its  mention  in  history  is 
no  proof  of  its  past  existence.  '  Let  us  see  the  original/ 
will  be  their  cry.  '  Produce  the  autograph  signature  of 
the  Empress  Catherine.'  Now  do  you  understand  the 
crime  that  this  miscreant  has  wrought  ?  " 

The  diabolical  nature  of  the  plot  struck  Paul  with  a 
feeling  akin  to  horror.  His  thoughts  immediately  flew  to 
Barbara,  sleeping  peacefully  at  that  moment  in  her  dis 
tant  quarter  of  the  palace,  all  unconscious  of  this  new 
peril  that  threatened  her  throne.  He  felt  little  pity  now 
for  the  slain  wretch  lying  at  his  feet. 

"  Why  did  he  not  carry  off  the  document  to  Russia  ?  " 

"  The  secret  despatch  assigns  the  reason.  It  was  more 
expedient  to  destroy  it  as  soon  as  it  fell  into  his  hands. 
iS  225 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

The  sequel  proves  the  serpentine  wisdom  of  Orloff.  Had 
this  fellow  concealed  the  Charter  upon  his  own  person  it 
would  now  be  in  our  keeping  again.  Oh !  I  could  tear 
out  my  eyes  for  having  kept  such  sorry  watch !  '  Warden 
of  the  Charter  '  is  one  of  my  titles.  A  pretty  warden, 
truly!  Fortunately  you  and  I  alone  know  that  Russia's 
plot  has  succeeded,  for  those  sentries  at  the  end  of  the 
corridor  are  ignorant  of  it ;  in  fact  they  do  not  even  know 
that  the  Charter  was  kept  here,  in  this,  the  Eagle  Tower." 

"  I  fear,  marshal,  that  there  are  others  who  know," 
said  Paul,  picking  up  a  lantern  with  a  blue  glass  slide. 
"  This  was  flashed  to  and  fro  at  the  window,  —  what  else 
but  as  a  signal  to  some  distant  watcher  that  the  Charter 
is  no  more  ?  " 

The  marshal  ground  his  teeth  as  he  recognized  the 
force  of  Paul's  inference. 

"  Then  we  may  expect  the  Czar's  envoy  at  an  early 
date,"  he  replied.  "  This  villain,"  he  continued,  examin 
ing  the  window,  "  gained  ingress  by  removing  the  con 
crete  in  which  the  bars  were  embedded,  —  a  task  which 
must  have  occupied  two  or  three  nights.  What  were  the 
patrol  on  the  roof  doing  to  allow  of  this  ?  " 

"  He  himself  was  one  of  the  patrol,"  said  Paul,  quickly 
adding,  "  Ah !  that  reminds  me.  There  is  a  second  fellow 
on  the  battlements  whom  I  knocked  senseless  with  his 
own  rifle." 

"  Another  ?  By  heaven,  Captain  Woodville,  you  have 
done  wrong  in  forgetting  him.  If  he  should  have  es 
caped  with  the  tidings  of  what  has  been  done!  " 

Zabern  darted  from  the  chamber,  and,  rushing  past  the 
three  sentinels  standing  at  the  end  of  the  corridor,  he  ran 
up  a  winding  staircase  that  led  to  the  roof.  He  was 
closely  followed  by  Paul.  The  traitor-sentry  was  still 
lying  in  the  place  where  Paul  had  left  him.  Zabern's 
examination  did  not  last  a  moment. 

"  He  will  never  play  the  traitor  again,"  remarked  the 
226 


The  Deed  of  Michael  the  Guardsman 

marshal.  "  You  have  shattered  his  skull  for  him.  And 
without  a  court-martial,  too !  "  he  added,  dryly. 

Having  called  up  Gabor  and  his  two  companions,  Za- 
bern  directed  them  to  inter  the  two  bodies,  at  the  same 
time  enjoining  the  trio  to  observe  strict  secrecy  upon  the 
events  of  that  night ;  after  which  orders  he  proceeded  to 
pace  moodily  to  and  fro  upon  the  battlements  in  company 
with  Paul,  who,  puzzled  by  one  circumstance  in  the  affair, 
sought  enlightenment  of  the  marshal. 

"  Since  Orloff's  letter  authorizing  the  plot  was  not  de 
livered  to  its  intended  recipient  but  fell  into  your  hands, 
how  comes  it  that  the  plot  has  nevertheless  been  carried 
out  ?  " 

;'  Two  messengers  may  have  been  sent,  each  carrying 
a  similar  communication ;  or  it  may  be  that  when  Russa- 
koff  did  not  return  within  an  assigned  time,  Orloff ,  grow 
ing  alarmed,  despatched  a  second  letter,  which,  alas !  has 
produced  the  desired  result." 

"  Do  you  believe  that  the  Czar  is  really  accessory  to 
this  plot?" 

"Accessory?  Why  not  its  author?"  queried  Zabern, 
ever  ready  to  see  in  the  Czar  the  incarnation  of  wicked 
ness.  '  There  is  a  Byzantine  finesse  about  this  plot  which 
accords  very  well  with  the  character  of  Nicholas,  who 
has  been  styled  a  '  Greek  of  the  Lower  Empire.'  But 
whether  accessory  or  not,  be  sure  that  he  will  avail  him 
self  of  the  weapon  with  which  the  action  of  his  subordi 
nates  has  supplied  him.  You  know  who  works  the  plot 
on  this  side  of  the  Czernovese  border." 

"  The  Duke  of  Bora  ?  " 

"  Who  but  he  ?  And  yet  I  still  lack  decisive  proof  of 
his  treason.  I  fear  I  acted  somewhat  too  hastily  in  slay 
ing  Michael  the  guardsman.  I  should  have  endeavored, 
first  to  extract  the  names  of  his  principals.  I  am  with 
out  hold  upon  the  duke." 

Paul  here  ventured  to  remind  the  marshal  of  Bora's 
227 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

suspicious    conduct    in    burning    his    copy    of    the    poet 
^Eschylus. 

'  True,"  replied  Zabern,  "  that  the  cipher  despatch  de 
pends  for  its  solution  upon  '  The  Eumenides,'  and  equally 
true  that  the  duke  burns  a  book  containing  this  same 
play.  But  what  of  that  ?  '  Mere  coincidence/  his  de 
fenders  would  reply.  Besides,  I  dare  not  bring  the  duke 
to  trial,  either  secretly  or  openly,  upon  this  charge." 
'  I  dare  not '  from  the  marshal !  " 

"  Why,  consider.  I  should  have  to  proclaim  to  his 
judges  the  startling  fact  that  Czernova  is  now  without 
her  Charter,  a  secret  that  must  be  kept  concealed  from 
all  men ;  nay,  even  from  the  princess  herself.  Captain 
Woodville,  let  not  her  Highness  know  of  this  loss.  She 
has  political  embarrassments  enough  already.  Why 
should  we  spring  a  new  trouble  upon  her  ?  " 

"  Count  me  tongue-tied,  marshal,  where  the  princess's 
peace  of  mind  is  concerned." 

Zabern  continued  to  pace  backwards  and  forwards, 
glancing  from  time  to  time  at  the  translation  of  the  cipher 
letter  which  he  still  held  in  his  hand,  and  muttering  lan 
guage,  the  drift  of  which  was  not  altogether  clear  to 
Paul. 

"  What  is  this  ?  Lipski's  measure  approved  because 
its  success  would  justify  Russia  in  annexing  Czernova. 
Ha !  so  that 's  the  motive  that  prompts  Lipski's  action. 
His  bill  is  aimed  not  so  much  at  the  Catholic  Church  of 
Czernova  as  at  the  Convent  of  the  Transfiguration.  Some 
inkling  of  the  interior  workings  of  that  monastery  has 
reached  him,  and  he  would  fain  turn  the  light  of  pub 
licity  upon  them.  No  wonder  that  Orloff  desires  this 
bill  to  pass,  and  that  he  is  sending  Lipski  rouble-notes 
with  which  to  corrupt  the  Polish  members  of  the  Diet. 
'  Money  shall  be  forwarded  by  usual  route.'  Ha !  I  '11 
set  a  watch  on  Lipski,  and  on  those  who  visit  him. 
'T  were  no  great  shame  if  some  of  those  rouble-notes 

228 


The  Deed  of  Michael  the  Guardsman 

should  find  their  way  to  our  own  Exchequer.  Humph ! 
Czernova  at  present  is  in  a  truly  critical  state.  But,  no 
matter,"  he  added,  with  his  face  grimly  set,  "  let  perils 
come!  They  shall  find  me  equal  to  them.  What  said 
Peter  the  Great :  '  It  takes  three  Jews  to  outwit  a  Rus 
sian  '  ?  It  will  take  a  good  many  Russians  to  outwit  a 
Zabern." 


229 


CHAPTER    XI 

THE    ENVOY   OF    THE    CZAR 

NEXT  morning'  Paul  by  command  attended  in  the 
White  Saloon,  where,  under  the  sweet  tuition  of 
the  princess  herself,  he  was  initiated  into  the 
duties  of  his  new  office.  Doubtless  his  affection  for  Bar 
bara  caused  him  to  infuse  into  his  work  an  earnestness 
and  an  energy  which  he  might  not  otherwise  have  felt ; 
however,  be  that  as  it  may,  when  in  the  course  of  a  few 
days  Barbara  avowed  that  he  was  an  ideal  secretary,  she 
was  uttering  no  empty  compliment. 

Those  who  had  ascribed  Paul's  appointment  to  love  on 
the  part  of  the  princess  were  somewhat  perplexed  on 
observing  the  demeanor  of  each  towards  the  other,  for, 
however  tender  and  familiar  their  intercourse  in  private, 
they  did  not  permit  their  affection  to  betray  itself  in  pub 
lic  by  look,  word,  or  sign,  Paul  always  evincing  the  mod 
est  deference  of  an  inferior,  while  Barbara  maintained 
towards  her  new  secretary  the  authoritative  dignity  of  a 
princess.  The  quick-witted  Zabern  was  not  to  be  de 
ceived  by  this  acting,  but  whatever  he  may  have  thought 
of  the  wisdom  of  the  princess's  choice,  the  prudent  mar 
shal  kept  his  own  counsel ;  for,  strange  as  the  statement 
might  have  sounded  to  the  rest  of  the  Czernovese  min 
istry,  Paul's  sword,  and  his  alone,  would  be  absolutely 
indispensable  to  the  security  of  the  princess's  crown  in 
a  certain  contingency  of  the  future,  as  the  marshal,  who 
was  a  far-seeing  man,  very  well  knew. 

As  regards  Cardinal  Ravenna  that  ecclesiastic  had 
230 


The  Envoy  of  the  Czar 

smiled  sourly  to  himself  on  hearing  of  Paul's  appointment 
to  the  secretaryship,  but  he  did  not  deem  the  time  yet  ripe 
to  electrify  Czernovese  with  the  announcement  that  their 
princess  was  not  Natalie  Lilieska.  Indeed  on  the  third 
day  after  the  interrupted  duel  Ravenna  had  received  a 
summons  from  Rome  to  attend  an  important  conclave 
there.  The  cardinal  much  preferred  Slavowitz  to  the 
Vatican.  Barbara's  attitude  of  defiance  towards  himself, 
together  with  the  friendship  that  had  so  suddenly  sprung 
up  betwixt  Zabern  and  Paul,  gave  him  much  uneasiness ; 
but  as  it  was  not  to  his  interest  to  disobey  the  command  of 
Pio  Nono  the  cardinal  had  departed  for  Rome,  and  for  a 
time  Barbara  was  relieved  from  his  menacing  presence. 
But  for  a  time  only.  He  would  return,  and  his  return 
would  be  the  beginning  of  trouble. 

So  passed  many  days  during  which  the  Duke  of  Bora 
remained  a  prisoner  in  the  Citadel,  though  Barbara's 
action  in  detaining  him  there  without  trial  had  been 
the  subject  of  a  very  pertinent  question  in  the  Diet  by 
Lipski,  the  Muscovite  deputy  for  Russograd,  a  question 
to  which  Zabern  had  curtly  answered  that  it  was  a  matter 
which  did  not  concern  the  honorable  deputy ;  whereupon 
the  said  honorable  deputy  made  reply  (and  it  took  him 
two  hours  to  say  it)  that  inasmuch  as  the  duke  was  a 
member  of  the  Diet,  it  did  concern  both  himself  and 
every  other  member ;  and  that  freedom  had  come  to  a 
pretty  pass  in  Czernova  when  deputies  who  gave  offence 
could  be  arrested  by  the  arbitrary  will  of  an  irresponsible 
maiden,  and  could  even  find  ministers  to  defend  her  ac 
tion.  When  Lipski  had  sat  down  amid  the  cheers  of  his 
Muscovite  supporters,  Zabern  deprived  the  tirade  of  most 
of  its  points  by  showing  that  the  duke  had  made  a  volun 
tary  surrender  of  himself  with  full  knowledge  that  he 
would  be  detained  during  the  princess's  pleasure,  and  that 
if  the  duke  on  reflection  had  repented  of  the  step  he  had 
taken,  it  was  quite  open  to  him  to  appeal  to  the  law  of 

231 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

Czernova,  which  was  more  powerful  even  than  the  will  of 
the  princess. 

But  Bora  declined  this  course,  knowing  that  if  he 
should  be  tried  in  a  legal  way  his  sentence  would  be  an 
imprisonment  of  six  months ;  therefore,  though  charing 
daily  and  secretly  vowing  vengeance  upon  Paul,  he 
deemed  it  more  politic  to  await  the  pleasure  of  the 
princess. 

This  debate  in  the  Diet  did  not  cause  Barbara  to  release 
the  duke  one  day  earlier  than  the  time  previously  fixed  by 
her,  for  the  fair  ruler  of  Czernova  could  be  extremely  self- 
willed  when  she  chose,  as  those  who  had  opposed  her  had 
often  found  to  their  cost. 

One  morning  as  Paul  entered  the  White  Saloon  to 
commence  his  usual  duties,  Barbara,  with  a  glance  at  his 
face,  said, — 

"  The  mark  has  disappeared  from  your  cheek,  Paul, 
and  therefore  it  is  time  for  the  release  of  Bora,  according 
to  my  word ;  unless,"  she  added,  deferentially,  "  unless 
you  are  opposed  to  it." 

Though  lacking  proof,  Paul  did  not  doubt  that  the  duke 
was  a  traitor ;  and,  moreover,  he  strongly  suspected  him 
of  having  instigated  the  assassination  of  Trevisa ;  other 
wise  it  mattered  little  to  Paul  whether  Bora  was  free  man 
or  prisoner. 

He  offered,  however,  no  opposition  to  the  duke's  re 
lease,  feeling  not  a  little  flattered  that  the  princess  should 
have  submitted  such  a  question  to  himself. 

An  order  was  accordingly  despatched  to  the  governor 
of  the  Citadel  for  the  liberation  of  the  duke;  and  now 
Barbara  braced  her  mind  to  meet  the  fresh  trouble  that 
she  felt  to  be  in  store  for  her.  "  For,"  she  murmured  to 
herself  with  a  sigh,  "  when  Bora  shall  hear  from  my  own 
lips  that  he  must  abandon  the  idea  of  marrying  me,  he  is 
certain  to  become  my  enemy."  Here,  however,  Barbara 
erred  in  supposing  that  antagonism  from  the  duke  would 

232 


The  Envoy  of  the  Czar 

be  a  new  thing,  inasmuch  as  Bora  could  hardly  become  a 
greater  enemy  in  the  future  than  he  had  been  in  the  past. 
That  same  evening  Paul  in  the  quietude  of  his  own  com 
partment  received  a  visit  from  Zabern,  who  looked  some 
what  more  grave  than  usual. 

"  You  were  quite  right  in  your  opinion,"  he  remarked, 
"  that  the  blue  light  flashed  at  the  window  by  Michael  the 
guardsman  was  a  signal  to  some  distant  watcher.  The 
loss  of  our  Charter  has  become  known  to  others.  The  plot 
is  developing.  Whom,  think  you,  we  shall  have  in  Slav- 
owitz  on  the  third  day  from  this?  Feodor  Orloff!" 

"  Feodor  Orloff !  " 

"  None  but  he.  He  comes  in  the  sacred  character  of 
envoy  of  the  Czar,  desiring  an  audience  of  the  Princess  of 
Czernova.  You  can  guess  the  object  of  his  coming?" 

''  To  demand  a  view  of  the  Czernovese  Charter !  " 

"  What  but  that  ?  " 

"  Marshal,  we  do  wrong  in  continuing  to  conceal  the 
truth  from  the  princess.  She  is  of  firm  and  courageous 
mind,  and  can  bear  to  hear  of  the  loss.  If,  after  the  envoy 
shall  have  formulated  his  demand,  she  should  send  for 
the  Charter  —  what  then  ?  " 

"  But  she  will  not  send  for  it.  I  have  counselled  her  to 
resist  that,  and  every  other  demand  made  by  the  envoy. 
The  princess  will  assume  an  attitude  of  graceful  refusal. 
Trust  me,  she  will  know  how  to  evade  his  demands. 
When  it  is  a  matter  of  diplomatic  finesse  and  word- 
fencing,  she  can  leave  her  ministers  far  behind." 

Three  days  later  at  noon  the  Princess  Natalie  Lilieska 

—  to  employ  her  state-name  —  prepared  to  give  audience 

to  Count  Feodor  Orloff,  the  governor-general  of  Warsaw, 

and   envoy   extraordinary   of  his   Imperial   Majesty   the 

Czar,  Nicholas  the  First. 

A  few  minutes  previous  to  this  interview  a  singular 
scene  took  place  in  a  private  apartment  of  the  palace  re 
served  for  the  use  of  Zabern.  Just  as  the  marshal  was 

233 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

preparing  to  quit  this  sanctum  to  attend  the  reception  of 
the  envoy,  the  door  opened,  and  Katina  Ludovska  ap 
peared  escorted  by  a  file  of  troopers.  The  latter  having 
saluted,  withdrew,  leaving  Katina  alone  with  the  marshal. 

"  So  my  spies  have  found  you  at  last,"  he  said,  with  an 
air  of  grim  satisfaction.  "  Where  have  you  been  hiding 
for  the  last  two  days  ?  " 

"  It  is  true,  then,  that  I  have  been  arrested  by  your  or 
ders  ?  "  she  cried  with  an  angry  flash  of  her  eyes. 

"  Quite  true.  This  apartment  must  be  your  abode  for 
the  next  few  days.  See  how  pretty  I  have  made  it  for 
you  by  introducing  into  it  some  of  the  princess's  own  fur 
niture  and  hangings !  True,  the  windows  are  barred,  but 
you  will  not  mind  such  trifles." 

"Why  am  I  here?" 

"  For  the  saving  of  your  life.  Do  you  know,  Katina, 
that  if  you  should  shoot  Orloff,  I,  as  Minister  of  Justice, 
would  have  to  see  that  you  were  hanged  ?  " 

"  So  you  have  divined  my  purpose  ?  "  she  said,  with  a 
bitter  smile. 

"  And  must  frustrate  it.  Come,  Katina,  be  sen 
sible.  Would  you  violate  the  common  law  of  nations? 
In  assassinating  the  Czar's  ambassador  you  would  be  play 
ing  the  very  devil  with  the  public  safety.  Nicholas  would 
have  good  pretext,  then,  for  annexing  Czernova." 

"  And  you  would  rob  me  of  my  vengeance  ?  "  she  said 
with  a  gesture  of  despair.  "  What  other  opportunity 
shall  I  ever  have?  Long  ago  would  I  have  entered 
Russia  to  slay  him,  but  that  my  face  is  known  to  all  the 
police  agents  there.  The  moment  I  set  foot  over  the  fron 
tier  I  should  be  seized  and  sent  again  to  Orenburg." 

"  I  sympathize  with  you,  and  probably  if  I  were  Katina 
I  should  be  tempted  to  do  even  as  she  would.  But  I  am 
Zabern,  you  see,  and  the  princess's  government  is  my  first 
care.  Were  Orloff  in  neutral  territory  you  might  shoot 
him  without  hindrance  from  me  —  and  glad  would  I  be 

234 


The  Envoy  of  the  Czar 

to  hear  of  his  death  —  but  on  Czernovese  ground  —  no ! 
We  should  have  to  respect  the  devil  himself  if  he  should 
come  in  the  character  of  ambassador." 

The  distant  fanfare  of  trumpets  now  rose  and  fell  on 
the  air,  signal  that  the  envoy  had  arrived  at  the  entrance 
of  the  palace. 

The  sound  seemed  to  madden  Katina. 

"  Is  he  come  here  in  pomp,  to  be  graciously  received  by 
the  princess,  to  be  feasted  by  her  ministers,  while  I,  his 
victim,  scarred  with  the  knout  for  refusing  to  become  his 
plaything,  am  to  remain  still  and  do  nothing  to  avenge 
myself?  Your  state  policy  to  the  winds,"  she  cried  pas 
sionately.  "  Stand  aside.  You  shall  not  stay  my  hand." 

She  made  as  if  she  would  have  escaped  from  the  apart 
ment,  but  Zabern,  on  the  watch  for  this  movement,  inter 
cepted  her  and  placed  his  back  against  the  door. 

"  Nay,  Katina,  here  you  must  remain  till  Orloff  shall 
have  quitted  Czernova." 

She  recognized  the  futility  of  resistance,  and  turning 
away  with  her  face  very  white,  and  speaking  very  slowly, 
she  said,  — 

"  Then  if  you  prevent  me  from  killing  Orloff  I  will  kill 
myself."  Her  words  startled  Zabern  from  his  cynical 
composure.  For  a  moment  he  hesitated  whether  to  leave 
her,  for  Katina  looked  as  if  she  fully  intended  to  carry 
out  her  threat. 

"  Be  it  so,"  he  said,  coldly.  ''  The  guilt  will  not  be 
mine.  Better  that  maid  perish  by  her  own  hand  than  that 
the  liberties  of  a  whole  people  be  destroyed." 

With  that  saying  the  marshal  withdrew  and  having 
locked  the  door  upon  Katina,  he  darkly  wended  his  way 
to  the  audience  chamber. 

With  a  view  of  rendering  due  honor  to  the  imperial 
envoy  it  had  been  decided  by  Barbara  that  the  reception 
should  be  attended  with  considerable  pomp. 

The  Throne  Hall  was  accordingly  chosen  as  the  place 
235 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

of  interview  —  a  magnificent  apartment,  its  vaulted  roof 
fretted  with  gold.  The  frescoes  and  pictures  were  adapted 
to  appeal  to  the  patriotism  of  those  present,  portraying, 
as  they  did,  some  of  the  noblest  events  in  Polish  history ; 
among  them  the  envoy  might  have  seen  more  than  one 
Russian  defeat  by  Polish  arms. 

Ranged  round  the  saloon,  with  back  to  the  wall,  were 
the  finest  and  loftiest  of  the  princess's  uhlans.  Clad  in 
gleaming  breastplates,  and  with  burnished  lances  erect, 
they  seemed  in  their  rigidity  and  silence  more  like  statues 
than  men. 

Barbara  occupied  the  throne,  a  slender  gold  diadem 
resting  on  her  dark  hair,  a  purple  robe  of  state  looped 
gracefully  over  her  dainty  white  attire. 

On  each  side  of  the  throne  were  her  ministers,  and  the 
chief  of  her  nobility.  Patriots  to  a  man,  animated  by  a 
spirit  of  defiance  to  Russia,  ardent  for  the  restoration  of 
Poland,  they  formed  a  chivalric  band  ready  to  die  in 
defence  of  their  fair  princess. 

The  scene  was  striking  and  poetical ;  and  more  than 
once  Paul,  who  was  present,  received  a  secret  glance  from 
Barbara,  as  if  she  would  fain  invite  him  to  contrast  her 
present  state  with  that  of  the  forlorn  maiden  wandering 
in  the  Dalmatian  forest ;  and  truly,  it  was  a  marvellous 
and  brilliant  contrast. 

The  emissary  of  the  Czar  was  a  man  of  giant  stature 
clad  in  a  gorgeous  uniform.  His  countenance  gave  indi 
cations  of  a  harsh  and  arrogant  nature,  nor  did  his  coun 
tenance  belie  him ;  as  a  matter  of  fact  he  had  been 
purposely  selected  by  the  Russian  ministry  in  order  that 
his  objectionable  manners,  combined  with  the  catechetical 
character  of  his  mission  might  provoke  recriminatory 
language  from  the  young  and  proud  princess,  language 
that  might  afford  Russia  pretext  for  a  quarrel  with  Czer- 
nova.  Therefore  Barbara,  warned  of  this  beforehand  by 
Zabern,  had  determined  that  the  envoy's  speech,  however 

236 


The  Envoy  of  the  Czar 

provocative,  should  not  tempt  her  to  play  the  enemy's 
game. 

To  Paul  and  Zabern  he  was  an  object  of  secret  loathing, 
both  as  the  knouter  of  Katina,  and  also  as  an  accessory  to, 
if  not  the  actual  author  of,  the  plot  which  had  resulted  in 
the  destruction  of  the  Czernovese  Charter.  Hard  neces 
sity  precluded  them  from  denouncing  the  hypocrisy  of  the 
man  who  came  to  demand  the  production  of  what  he  had 
himself  destroyed. 

"  His  grandfather  did  a  noble  deed,"  remarked  Zabern 
in  a  whisper  to  Paul. 

"What  did  his  grandfather  do?" 

"  He  strangled  a  Czar,"  replied  Zabern,  grimly. 
"What?"  he  continued,  noting  Paul's  look  of  surprise, 
"  did  you  not  know  that  we  have  here  the  grandson  of 
Gregory  Orloff?" 

Unjust  as  it  may  be  to  be  influenced  by  the  ill-deeds  of 
a  man's  grandsire,  Paul  nevertheless  found  his  aversion 
to  Orloff  increasing,  that  such  a  creature  should  be  ap 
pointed  ambassador  to  stand  in  the  presence  of  the  pure 
and  sweet  Barbara !  Orloff  had  removed  his  leathern 
gauntlets,  and  Paul  could  not  avoid  glancing  from  time 
to  time  at  his  large  and  knotted  hands  as  if  they  were 
the  same  mighty  palms  that  had  squeezed  out  the  breath 
from  the  windpipe  of  the  unhappy  Peter  the  Third. 

With  an  odd  mixture  of  humility  and  pride,  the  envoy 
knelt  before  the  throne,  and  having  presented  his  cre 
dentials  to  the  princess,  he  rose  again  to  his  full  height, 
and  began  to  speak  in  a  loud  voice,  and  with  a  sweeping 
glance  that  took  in  the  whole  assembly. 

"  Nicholas  Paulovitch,  Autocrat  of  all  the  Russias  " 
Here  the  envoy  proceeded  to  enumerate  a  variety  of  titles, 
among  which  there  figured  "  King  of  Poland,"-  — a  title 
which  made  the  more  ardent  patriots  whisper,  "  For  how 
long?"  —"Nicholas  Paulovitch,  as  Head  of  the  Holy 
Greek  Church  throughout  the  world,  is  interested  in 

237 


learning  whether  the  Princess  of  Czernova  has  seceded 
from  that  Church." 

Among  Barbara's  audience  there  was  only  one  person 
who  knew  that  secession  was  not  a  term  to  apply  to  her 
conduct.  It  was  hard  to  be  accused  of  apostasy,  but  po 
litical  necessity  compelled  her  to  submit  to  the  imputation. 

;'  Though  denying  the  right  of  the  Czar  to  catechize 
the  ruler  of  Czernova  on  such  a  matter  I  will,  neverthe 
less,  give  answer,"  responded  Barbara  quietly.  "  I  am 
not  a  member  of  the  Greek,  but  of  the  Catholic  Church." 

"  His  Imperial  Majesty  would  direct  your  Highness's 
attention  to  the  Czernovese  coronation-oath,  the  formula 
prescribed  by  the  Charter." 

"  How  is  that  oath  phrased  ? "  asked  Barbara. 

"  Its  precise  wording  is :  'I  swear  to  maintain  the 
Greek  Faith.' " 

"  And  it  is  my  intention  to  maintain  it.  The  Greek 
Church  shall  meet  with  no  interference  or  oppression 
from  the  Catholic  princess.  Its  liberty  and  privileges  shall 
remain  inviolate." 

Orloff  seemed  quite  dumfounded  at  this  way  of  ex 
plaining  the  oath.  Recovering  from  his  surprise,  he 
said, — 

''  That  is  not  the  interpretation  put  upon  those  words 
by  the  Czar.  In  his  view  '  maintaining '  is  synonymous 
with  '  believing.' ': 

"  Not  so,  count,"  replied  Barbara,  firmly.  "  On  this 
point  we  have  consulted  not  the  forensic  authorities  of 
Czernova,  who  might  be  suspected  of  favoring  our  inter 
est,  but  the  leading  jurists  and  statesmen  of  Europe,  and 
they  are  unanimous  in  the  opinion  that  the  coronation- 
oath  does  not  bind  the  ruler  of  Czernova  to  a  personal 
belief  in  the  faith  of  the  Greek  Church,  but  merely  im 
poses  the  obligation  of  maintaining  it  as  an  establishment 
in  statu  quo." 

That  the  Czernovese  ministry  had  been  seeking  the 
238 


The  Envoy  of  the  Czar 

views  of  Europe  in  the  matter  of  the  coronation-oath  came 
upon  Orloff  as  a  complete  surprise.  If  the  princess  had 
spoken  truly,  the  consensus  of  opinion  would  seem  to 
show  that  the  argument  by  which  Russia  had  been  hoping 
to  exclude  her  from  the  throne  was  lacking  in  validity. 
An  appeal  by  Czernova  to  the  arbitrament  of  the  Powers 
on  this  question  would  enable  the  principality  to  sail  tri 
umphantly  in  the  teeth  of  Russian  ambition. 

"  I  will  report  your  answer  to  the  Czar,"  replied  Or 
loff,  and  with  mortification  plainly  visible  on  his  face,  he 
proceeded  to  his  next  point. 

"  The  Czar  regrets  the  necessity  which  compels  him  to 
prefer  against  the  state  of  Czernova  a  charge  of  the 
violation  of  his  own  jurisdiction  in  the  matter  of  his 
kinsman,  the  Duke  of  Bora,  who  while  on  Russian  ground 
was  summarily  arrested  by  order  of  the  princess." 

"Have  you  proof  of  this  alleged  violation  of  territory?" 

"  How  ? "  exclaimed  Orloff  in  feigned  amazement. 
"  '  Proof  '  ?  '  Alleged  violation'  ?  The  sacred  word  of 
his  Majesty  doubted?" 

"  I  can  of  my  own  knowledge  testify  that  his  grace  was 
on  Czernovese  ground  at  the  time  of  his  arrest." 

"  We  have  our  witnesses,  Baron  Ostrova,  the  duke's 
secretary,  and  a  Cossack  sentinel." 

A  murmur  of  indignation  ran  through  the  assembly  at 
the  envoy's  insolent  language. 

"  And  you  have  the  word  of  a  princess,"  replied  Bar 
bara,  with  dignity,  "  word  purer  far  than  that  of  twenty 
Ostrovas  or  twenty  Cossacks.  But  we  have  a  witness 
whom  even  the  envoy  of  the  Czar  must  respect.  My 
lord  of  Bora,  stand  forth." 

And  to  the  surprise  of  those,  unaware  till  then  of  his 
presence,  the  Duke  of  Bora,  who  had  been  keeping  in  the 
background,  came  forward  and  stood  before  the  throne. 

However  great  his  sympathy  with  the  envoy's  aims, 
however  much  embittered  with  the  princess  by  reason  of 

239 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

his  imprisonment,  he  durst  not  in  Her  presence,  and  in  the 
presence  of  other  witnesses  of  his  arrest,  state  anything 
else  but  the  truth. 

With  a  forced  smile  he  bowed  to  Orloff,  his  fellow- 
conspirator. 

"  As  the  princess  avers,"  he  said,  "  there  has  been  some 
error  on  the  part  of  his  Majesty's  informants.  My  arrest 
took  place  on  the  Czernovese  side  of  the  frontier." 

The  envoy  grew  more  disconcerted  at  this,  his  second 
failure  to  entangle  the  princess  in  his  political  net. 

"  A  twofold  offence  has  been  committed  in  his  Majesty's 
dominions,"  he  continued ;  "  first,  in  the  matter  of  the 
duel  itself,  duelling  being  contrary  to  the  law  of  Russia ; 
and,  secondly,  in  the  matter  of  corrupting  by  bribes  a 
soldier  of  the  Czar,  a  Cossack  sentinel." 

"  That  honest  Cossack,"  said  Barbara,  sweetly,  "  whose 
testimony  you  would  have  used  against  me  ?  " 

A  smile  rippled  round  the  assembly. 

Orloff  flushed  angrily. 

"  And  therefore,"  he  continued,  ignoring  Barbara's 
pointed  remark,  "  on  the  ground  that  they  have  broken 
the  law  of  Russia  the  Czar  requires  the  extradition  of  the 
two  offenders,  his  grace  the  Duke  of  Bora,  and  the  Eng 
lishman,  Captain  Paul  Woodville." 

'  The  latter  at  all  costs,  I  presume,"  said  Barbara, 
caustically. 

A  second  smile  went  round  the  assembly ;  their  eyes 
with  one  accord  turned  towards  the  soldier  who  had 
foiled  the  Russian  arms  at  Tajapore. 

"  Captain  Woodville,"  continued  Barbara,  and  none 
but  Paul  knew  what  pleasure  it  gave  her  thus  to  act  as  his 
champion,  "  Captain  Woodville,  though  resident  in  Czer- 
nova,  has  not  yet  resigned  the  rights  of  a  British  subject, 
and  therefore  it  will  be  more  prudent  on  our  part  to  wait 
till  the  English  ambassador  at  St.  Petersburg  shall  have 
notified  to  us  his  will  in  this  matter.  Till  such  time  the 

240 


The  Envoy  of  the  Czar 

question  of  the  duke's  extradition  must  likewise  remain 
in  abeyance." 

Barbara's  finesse  in  throwing  her  difficulty  upon  the 
broad  shoulders  of  the  British  representative  drew  a  sour 
smile  from  Orloff,  who  knew  full  well  that  that  potentate 
would  never  sanction  the  extradition  of  an  English  officer 
on  the  grounds  alleged. 

Orloff  was  not  slow  to  perceive  the  triumph  of  the 
assembly.  It  was  clear  to  him  that  so  far  in  the  course  of 
his  embassy  matters  between  Russia  and  Czernova  would 
have  to  remain  in  statu  quo,  inasmuch  as  the  princess's 
policy  afforded  no  ground  for  quarrel.  But  Orloff  had 
other  arrows  in  his  quiver,  and  he  prepared  to  discharge 
them. 

''  The  Czar  would  fain  learn  the  meaning  of  the  device 
on  the  new  Czernovese  coinage." 

"  What  signification  does  his  Majesty  himself  attach 
to  it?" 

"  In  his  view  the  assumption  of  the  arms  of  Poland 
implies  a  claim  to  the  throne  of  Poland,  —  a  claim  at  vari 
ance  with  his  own  lawful  sovereignty  over  that  realm." 

"  Count,  tell  us  whose  arms  are  those?  " 

And  Barbara  here  directed  Orloffs  attention  to  a  part 
of  the  roof  where  hung  a  faded  white  banner,  its  centre 
embroidered  with  the  figure  of  a  double-headed  eagle  in 
black  thread,  a  banner  captured  in  old  time  from  Russia, 
and  therefore  no  agreeable  sight  to  the  eyes  of  a  Mus 
covite  general. 

"  They  are  the  arms  of  Russia,"  replied  Orloff  sullenly, 
and  wondering  why  he  should  be  asked  the  question. 

"  Yet  that  double-headed  black  eagle  was  the  arms  of 
the  Greek  emperors  of  Constantinople,"  said  Barbara. 
"  If  my  armorial  device  implies  an  aspiration  for  the 
throne  of  Poland,  then  must  the  Czar  be  credited  with  an 
aspiration  for  the  throne  of  the  Sultan.  Are  the  chan 
celleries  of  Europe  to  understand  that  such  is  his  aim  ?  " 
16  241 


Again  the  assembly  smiled.  Nicholas's  intention  of 
seizing  upon  "  the  sick  man's  inheritance  "  was  strongly 
suspected  at  this  time,  but  it  would  not  have  been  politic 
on  the  part  of  Orloff  to  affirm  it.  A  scowl  stole  over  his 
face  at  this,  his  fourth  defeat. 

"  As  regards  the  arms  of  Poland,"  said  Barbara,  "  I, 
as  a  descendant  of  Polish  kings,  have  every  right  to  use 
such  arms  upon  my  coinage." 

"  But  has  Czernova  the  right  to  issue  a  coinage  of  its 
own  apart  from  the  Russian  currency  ?  Is  it  permitted  by 
the  Charter  of  Catherine?" 

"  Marshal,  cause  a  copy  of  the  Charter  to  be 
brought." 

"  Oh !  no,  your  Highness,"  said  Orloff  quickly,  and  in 
terchanging  a  significant  smile  with  the  Duke  of  Bora, 
a  smile  noticed  and  understood  by  Zabern,  "  not  a  copy. 
We  would  see  the  original  document  itself." 

Barbara  stared  hard  at  the  speaker,  having  no  suspicion 
of  his  sinister  purpose  in  preferring  this  request. 

"  You  would  see  the  original  document  ?  "  she  repeated. 
"  This  is  truly  a  singular  demand.  As  the  Charter  was 
signed  in  duplicate,  why  not  consult  your  own  original, 
which,  if  history  err  not,  was  deposited  in  the  archives  of 
the  Kremlin?" 

"  We  would,  if  it  were  there ;  but  seek  as  we  may,  we 
have  never  been  able  to  find  the  alleged  document !  " 

"  Alleged  document  ?  "  repeated  Barbara,  knitting  her 
brows.  "  Did  you  say  alleged  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  retorted  Orloff,  with  an  insolent  sneer  that 
brought  all  the  blood  to  Barbara's  face,  and  caused  the 
more  fiery  portion  of  the  assembly  to  half-draw  their 
blades.  "  Yes ;  for  the  truth  is,"  he  continued,  glancing 
defiantly  around,  "  Czernova  never  had  any  such  Charter 
as  is  commonly  alleged.  How  the  first  so-called  Prince  of 
Czernova  contrived  to  impose  upon  Russia  the  fiction  of 
a  Charter  granted  by  Catherine  is  indeed  inexplicable ; 

242 


The  Envoy  of  the  Czar 

nevertheless  the  council  of  the  empire  has  received  ample 
proof  that  such  document  has  never  existed." 

Barbara's  lifted  hand  quelled  the  wrathful  murmurs. 

"  And  without  such  Charter,"  she  said,  "  it  necessarily 
follows  that — will  you  finish  the  sentence  for  me, Count?" 

"  It  follows  that  Czernova  is  as  much  a  part  of  the 
Czar's  dominions  as  the  rest  of  Russian  Poland." 

"  Proceed  a  step  farther,  Count.  Say  that  in  reigning 
over  Czernova  I  have  become  liable  to  a  charge  of  treason 
in  having  usurped  the  authority  of  the  Czar." 

"  His  Majesty  will  permit  you  to  plead  ignorance." 

"  We  commend  his  sweet  graciousness.  But  I  can 
claim  the  word  of  the  Czar  himself  that  I  am  the  lawful 
ruler  of  Czernova,  inasmuch  as  you,  his  chosen  represen 
tative,  have  greeted  me  with  the  title  of  '  Princess  '  and 
'  Highness.'  If  you  now  deny  what  you  have  previously 
affirmed ;  if  you  now  declare  it  to  be  treason  to  acknowl 
edge  me  as  princess  —  then  you  have  caused  the  Czar  to 
be  guilty  of  treason  against  the  Czar !  Truly,  Sir  En 
voy,  you  conduct  your  embassy  in  strange  and  perplexing 
fashion,  and  we  would  pray  you  to  be  more  clear  of 
speech.  For  as  touching  your  allegation  that  the  Charter 
never  had  existence,  by  your  own  mouth  are  you  contra 
dicted,  seeing  that  you  yourself  have  cited  from  that 
Charter  the  words  of  the  Czernovese  coronation  oath. 
Are  we  now  to  understand  that  in  your  desire  to  exclude 
me  from  the  throne,  you  did  not  scruple  to  quote  from  a 
mythical  document  ? " 

Surely  no  ambassador  can  ever  have  blundered  more 
than  Orloff !  He  was  evidently  better  qualified  to  bully  a 
regiment  or  to  preside  at  a  knouting  than  to  conduct 
diplomatic  negotiations.  Thick-skinned  as  he  was,  he  felt 
the  sting  of  Barbara's  remarks,  and  his  great  face  red 
dened.  He  had  thought  to  gain  an  easy  victory  over  a 
young  girl,  whereas  it  was  now  clear  that  in  this  contest 
of  the  tongue,  the  princess  was  decidedly  his  superior. 

243 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

Zabern  smiled  grimly,  much  regretting  that  Katina  was 
not  present  to  be  a  witness  of  her  enemy's  humiliation. 

"  In  using  the  terms  '  Princess  '  and  '  Charter/  "  said 
Orloff,  "  be  it  understood  that  my  language  was  pro 
visional." 

"  And  so,"  said  Barbara,  with  sovereign  disdain  curv 
ing  her  lips,  "  it  would  seem  that  for  fifty  years  Czernova 
has  been  enjoying  its  freedom  by  virtue  of  false  state 
ments.  Marvellous  that  during  all  this  time  Russia  has 
never  once  raised  her  voice  in  protest !  Truly  it  says  but 
little  for  the  wisdom  of  her  statesmen  in  thus  permitting 
themselves  to  be  duped  for  a  period  of  half  a  century ! 
But  we  would  draw  the  Czar's  attention  to  a  decree  of  the 
Congress  of  Vienna,  and  worded  thus :  '  The  princi 
pality  of  Czernova  shall  be  governed  according  to  the 
Charter  granted  by  Catherine  the  Second ;  and  Russia, 
Austria,  and  Prussia  are  herewith  empowered  to  uphold 
the  provisions  of  the  same.'  That  Congress  must  have 
had  reason  for  believing  in  the  existence  of  the  Charter, 
else  how  could  they  have  spoken  thus?  In  the  face  of 
that  decree  is  the  Czar  so  ill-counselled  as  to  deny  the  ex 
istence  of  the  historic  Czernovese  Charter  ?  " 

'''  That  is  his  attitude,  and  nothing  but  its  production  in 
my  presence  will  set  his  doubts  at  rest." 

"  Marshal  Zabern  is  the  Warden  of  the  Charter.  He 
can  quickly  prove  that  there  is  such  a  document  preserved 
in  the  Eagle  Tower." 

"  Pardon  me,  your  Highness,  not  in  the  Eagle  Tower," 
observed  Zabern.  "  When  your  Highness  appointed  me 
Warden  of  the  Charter,  I  had  the  document  removed  to 
—  to  —  well,  for  obvious  reasons  I  prefer  to  keep  its 
place  of  deposit  a  secret.  The  document  you  refer  to  in 
the  iron  coffer  of  the  Eagle  Tower  is  a  copy  merely." 

The  natural  unaffected  way  in  which  Zabern  spoke 
almost  imposed  upon  Paul  himself.  It  certainly  imposed 
upon  Orloff.  Never  did  human  countenance  change  so 

244 


The  Envoy  of  the  Czar 

quickly  as  did  that  of  the  envoy  at  this  moment,  —  the 
moment  of  his  anticipated  triumph. 

The  Charter  in  the  Eagle  Tower  a  transcript  merely, 
and  not  the  great  original!  Then  his  plot  had  resulted 
only  in  the  destruction  of  a  worthless  document.  Czer- 
nova  stood  as  firm  as  ever! 

Orloff  s  mortification  found  a  reflection  in  the  face  of 
Bora.  Paul  marked  them  both,  and  never  did  falsehood 
give  him  such  pleasure  as  the  falsehood  told  by  Zabern. 

"  After  such  testimony  on  the  part  of  the  marshal," 
observed  Barbara,  "  you  will  no  longer  doubt." 

"  Then  I  am  to  understand,"  said  Orloff,  "  that  you 
refuse  to  permit  the  Czar's  envoy  to  inspect  the  Charter?  " 

'  The  Czar  exceeds  his  authority  in  making  such  de 
mand,"  replied  Barbara  with  dignity.  "  By  the  decree 
of  the  Congress  of  Vienna,  Austria  and  Prussia  are 
equally  concerned  in  this  matter  of  the  Charter.  They 
have  not  yet  called  its  existence  in  question.  To  a  joint 
embassy  from  the  three  Powers  doubt  not  that  we  shall 
pay  due  regard." 

Barbara's  attitude  in  thus  associating  the  courts  of 
Vienna  and  Berlin  with  that  of  St.  Petersburg  upon  the 
point  at  issue  was  diplomatically  correct,  as  Orloff  very 
well  knew.  Unless  the  two  other  states  should  act  in  con 
cert  with  Russia,  the  latter  had  no  power  to  compel  Czer- 
nova  to  produce  its  Charter.  And  it  was  quite  within  the 
range  of  probability  that  Austria  and  Prussia,  from  mo 
tives  of  political  jealousy,  would  decline  to  co-operate  in 
an  affair  from  which  Russia  alone  was  to  gain. 

Therefore,  reflecting  upon  all  this,  Orloff  began  to  per 
ceive  that  his  plot  for  the  destruction  of  the  Charter,  even 
granting  that  it  had  been  successfully  carried  out,  was  by 
no  means  so  decisive  a  blow  as  he  had  at  first  been  led  to 
suppose.  Czernova  might  be  without  its  title  to  auton 
omy,  but  this  difficulty  remained  —  how  were  the  Czar's 
ministry  to  establish  the  fact? 

245 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

A  gleam  of  cunning  suddenly  appeared  on  the  face  of 
the  envoy.  He  had  solved  the  problem. 

"  Is  it  not  a  part  of  the  coronation-ritual,"  he  asked, 
"  that  the  original  Charter  of  Catherine  shall  be  placed 
upon  the  altar,  and  that  the  ruler  of  Czernova  with  hand 
laid  upon  it  shall  swear  to  maintain  its  provisions?" 

"  That  is  so,"  responded  the  princess ;  "  and  we  espe 
cially  invite  you,  Count,  to  a  seat  in  the  chancel  in  order 
that  you  may  witness  the  ceremony,  and  set  your  doubts 
at  rest." 

"  I  shall  certainly  avail  myself  of  the  privilege  offered 
me,"  said  Orloff  with  a  peculiar  smile,  incomprehensible 
to  Barbara,  but  perfectly  understood  by  at  least  two  per 
sons  present. 

Fear  fell  upon  Paul,  if  not  upon  Zabern.  Though  it 
might  be  easy  now  to  equivocate,  and  to  devise  plausible 
excuses  for  withholding  the  Charter  from  the  envoy's 
view,  yet  on  the  great  day  of  the  coronation,  the  day  that 
should  be  the  brightest  in  Barbara's  life,  the  fatal  truth 
would  have  to  be  revealed.  How  was  it  possible  to  re 
place  the  vital  document  that  had  been  destroyed  by  fire ! 

"  I  have  discharged  my  embassy,"  said  Orloff,  bowing. 

"  Count  Radzivil,"  observed  Barbara,  turning  to  the 
premier,  "  on  you  devolves  the  honor  of  entertaining  our 
guest,  Count  Feodor  Orloff,  so  long  as  he  shall  remain 
in  Czernova." 

But  the  envoy,  his  asperity  not  at  all  softened  by  the 
princess's  courtesy,  bluntly  averred  his  intention  of  setting 
out  for  St.  Petersburg  within  an  hour  from  that  time. 

"Loyalty  to  the  Czar  forbids  me  to  dally  in  his  service." 

"  The  Czar  is  honored  in  possessing  an  envoy  so  dis 
creet.  My  lords,  we  will  retire." 

Zabern  was  the  first  to  draw  his  sabre,  and  to  hold  it 
aloft  over  the  head  of  Barbara ;  the  rest  of  her  adherents 
standing  in  a  double  line  imitated  his  action,  Paul  among 
the  number;  and  thus  the  fair  sovereign,  with  a  smile 

246 


The  Envoy  of  the  Czar 

and  a  blush,  and  yet  maintaining  an  air  of  dignity  withal, 
passed  out  beneath  an  arcade  of  brilliant  sword-blades, 
and  amid  a  saluting  cry  from  her  soldiery  of  "  Long  live 
the  Princess  of  Czernova !  " 

She  had  gained  a  diplomatic  victory  over  Russia,  but 
none  knew  better  than  Barbara  herself  that  her  triumph 
was  merely  temporary,  and  that  Russia  would  return  to 
the  charge  at  the  first  opportunity. 

The  assembly  broke  up.  Orloff  went  back  to  the  Hotel 
de  Varsovie,  and  summoning  those  of  his  suite  who  had 
not  attended  him  to  the  Vistula  Palace,  he  set  off  immedi 
ately  for  Russia.  The  Duke  of  Bora,  with  bitterness 
rankling  at  his  heart,  followed  the  princess  to  her  apart 
ments,  determined  to  hear  from  her  own  lips  whether  it 
was  her  intention  to  break  off  the  marriage  to  which 
she  had  been  so  long  pledged.  The  ministers  sought 
the  palace  gardens,  where  they  discussed  the  envoy's 
defeat. 

"  The  Czar  will  not  submit  to  such  rebuff,"  said  Rad- 
zivil,  gloomily.  "  Yet  how  could  the  princess  speak  and 
act  otherwise  if  she  must  maintain  her  dignity?" 

"Aha!"  grinned  Zabern  to  Paul,  as  they  remained 
behind  in  the  Throne  Hall.  "  Did  you  mark  the  two 
traitors  —  the  fall  in  their  faces  ?  They  are  somewhat 
doubtful  now  as  to  the  success  of  their  plot.  Orloff  is 
returning  to  Russia  more  than  half-convinced  that  the 
Charter  is  still  intact." 

"  He  has  a  lingering  suspicion,  however,"  remarked 
Paul.  "  You  have  staved  off  the  difficulty  —  but  only  for 
a  time.  What  will  happen  on  the  coronation-day  when 
Orloff  beholds  a  charterless  altar  ?  " 

"  Bah !  I  '11  remedy  that,"  replied  Zabern,  adding  as 
he  turned  away,  "  shall  I  see  you  at  the  bal  masque  this 
evening?  " 

"  Without  doubt,"  answered  Paul ;  for  had  not  Barbara 
promised  to  dance  with  none  but  himself,  a  course  she 

247 


could  take  without  exciting  suspicion  as  to  the  relation 
ship  existing  between  herself  and  her  secretary,  inasmuch 
as  her  mask  and  fancy  costume  would  disguise  her 
identity.  "  Without  doubt,"  he  continued,  "  for  I  am 
young,  which  is  to  say,  frivolous.  But  you,  marshal,  will 
you  be  there  ?  I  thought  you  had  a  soul  above  music  and 
dancing?  " 

"  And  such  have  I.  But  the  masquerade  held  this  even 
ing  by  command  of  the  princess  is  something  more  than  a 
mere  fete;  it  is  a  cloak  to  cover  a  certain  political  enter 
prise  —  what,  you  shall  learn  when  the  time  comes.  Cap 
tain  Woodville,"  added  Zabern,  mysteriously,  "  at  the  bal 
masque  of  to-night  history  will  be  made.  Till  then,  fare 
well." 

With  this  Zabern  turned  away,  and  ascended  to  the 
lofty  chamber  in  which  he  had  left  Katina. 

He  opened  the  door,  not  without  a  certain  fear  that  she 
might  have  fulfilled  her  threat  of  suicide,  but  to  his  re 
lief  he  saw  her  sitting  pensively  beside  the  barred  case 
ment.  There  was  a  pistol  by  her  side,  a  weapon  which 
the  marshal  intuitively  felt  was  a  loaded  one. 

He  had  expected  to  be  received  with  reproachful  in 
vective,  instead  of  which  she  met  him  with  a  glad  light 
in  her  eyes.  She  seemed  totally  transformed  from  the 
vengeful  maiden  whom  he  had  left  an  hour  previously. 
Zabern  noted  the  change  and  wondered. 

"  Your  imprisonment  is  over,  Katina,"  he  said,  gently. 
"  Orloff  has  departed." 

"  I  know  it,"  she  replied,  "  for  I  have  seen  him." 

"  You  have  seen  him,"  muttered  the  marshal,  glancing 
suspiciously  at  the  pistol,  and  doubtful  now  as  to  whether 
it  was  loaded. 

"  Yes.  In  departing  Orloff  and  his  suite  took  their 
way  through  the  palace  gardens  and  passed  within  view 
of  this  very  window.  I  could  have  over-reached  you, 
marshal,"  she  continued  with  a  smile,  "  for,  as  my  pistol 

248 


The  Envoy  of  the  Czar 

is  with  me,"  she  added,  tapping  the  weapon,  "  I  could 
easily  have  brought  him  down." 

"  But  the  thought  of  Czernova  stayed  your  hand  ?  " 

"No!"  she  answered,  "no,"  murmuring  the  words 
faintly,  as  if  speaking  more  to  herself  than  to  him,  while 
at  the  same  time  the  soft  color  mantled  her  cheek,  "  it  was 
the  thought  rather  of  him  whom  I  love  that  kept  me  from 
the  deed." 

"  Him  whom  you  love  ?  "  repeated  Zabern,  with  a  touch 
of  surprise  in  his  voice.  "  Love  ?  Humph  !  I  am  glad  to 
hear  that  word  from  you,  Katina." 

"Why  so?"  she  asked,  casting  a  glance  at  him,  and 
averting  her  eyes  again  immediately,  when  she  observed 
how  steadfastly  he  was  regarding  her. 

"  It  shows  that  you  are  human  if  you  can  be  touched  by 
that  sentiment,"  laughed  Zabern.  "  I  have  been  accus 
tomed  to  think  that  you  were  even  as  myself." 

"In  what  way?"' 

"  Insensible  to  love.  You  know  that  my  father  led  me 
in  childhood  to  the  sacramental  altar,  and  there  made  me 
swear  to  do  my  best  to  destroy  a  great  empire.  Complete 
devotion  to  that  patriotic  vow  — 

"  Has  extinguished  in  you  every  other  emotion,"  mur 
mured  Katina. 

"  True.  Delenda  est  Muscovia  is  written  on  my  heart 
in  letters  of  fire.  Patriotism  is  the  only  passion  that 
has  ever  possessed  me.  But  with  youthful  maiden  it 
should  be  different.  Because  Poland  is  not  free  must 
you,  too,  steel  your  heart  against  natural  affection? 
And  so  my  pretty  Katina  has  a  sweetheart?  And  his 
name?  " 

Why  Katina  should  look  frightened,  and  why  her  face 
should  turn  so  white,  completely  mystified  Zabern.  As 
she  remained  silent  he  repeated  his  last  question. 

"  His  name  ?  No !  I  cannot  tell  it ;  at  least  —  not  — 
not  to  you ;  though  others  know  it.  Nay,"  she  added, 

249 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

wildly,  "  even  Russakoff,  the  spy,  can  taunt  me  with  it  in 
the  public  street." 

"Others  know  it,  even  Russakoff?"  repeated  Zabern. 
"  And  yet  you  would  keep  the  name  from  me  ?  Well,  be 
it  so,"  he  added  reproachfully.  "  I  should  have  thought, 
Katina,  that  you  would  have  let  your  old  friend,  the  mar 
shal,  be  the  first  to  congratulate  you." 

Strange  that  Zabern,  so  quick  to  divine  the  plans  of  his 
enemies,  should  be  so  dull  at  reading  a  woman's  heart ! 
Yet  so  it  was.  He  really  had  not  the  least  idea  as  to  the 
cause  of  Katina's  agitation.  He  thought  it  behoved  him 
to  find  out.  He  had  nursed  her  as  a  child  on  his  knee,  and 
now  with  the  tender  familiarity  of  an  old  friend  he  placed 
his  hand  beneath  her  chin,  and  though  she  attempted  a 
faint  resistance,  he  succeeded  in  raising  her  drooping 
face  to  his  own.  The  strange  wistful  look  in  her  dark 
eyes  that  met  his  for  a  moment  only,  and  then  fell  again, 
was  a  complete  revelation  to  the  marshal.  It  told  her 
secret  as  clearly  as  if  she  had  spoken  it. 

"  Katina !  "  he  murmured,  huskily,  quitting  his  hold  of 
her,  and  starting  back. 

Katina  herself  sank  on  a  seat  silently  and  with  averted 
face,  the  very  picture  of  confusion. 

"  What !   am  I  the  man  ?  " 

If  silence  gives  assent,  then  Katina  had  assented. 

There  was  a  brief  interval  of  silence.  Then  the  affair 
seemed  to  present  itself  in  a  humorous  light  to  the  mar 
shal,  for  he  began  to  laugh. 

"  You  love  me !  Me !  the  greatest  knave  in  Czernova ! 
a  one-handed  grim  old  fellow  like  myself,  twice  your  age, 
with  an  ugly  face,  made  —  thanks  to  the  Russians !  — 
still  more  ugly  by  sabre-cuts.  You  have  a  strange  taste, 
Katina,  when  there  is  many  a  young  and  handsome  Pole 
willing  to  make  you  his  bride." 

"  But  none  like  Zabern,"  she  murmured,  yet  hardly 
daring  to  say  the  words. 

250 


The  Envoy  of  the  Czar 

Though  the  marshal  looked  upon  Katina  as  the  fairest 
maiden  in  Czernova  after  the  princess,  yet  the  thought 
of  wooing  her  had  never  entered  his  head ;  but  now, 
while  he  contemplated  her  as  she  trembled  like  a  leaf, 
looking  the  more  charming  in  her  confusion,  the  grim 
old  warrior  felt  within  himself  a  power  unfelt  till  that 
moment. 

"  Katina,"  he  said,  and  never  before  had  she  heard  his 
voice  sound  so  gentle,  —  "  Katina,  you  may  kiss  me  —  if 
you  like." 

"  It  is  your  place  to  come  and  kiss  me." 

Zabern  was  making  a  forward  movement,  but  ere  he 
could  take  the  second  step  Katina  was  within  his  arms, 
and  clinging  as  if  she  intended  never  to  release  her  hold. 
And  it  was  evident  that  the  marshal  found  his  new  ex 
periences  far  more  attractive  than  the  business  required 
of  him  as  a  minister;  for  when  a  minute  afterwards  a 
secretary  tapped  at  the  door  with  the  announcement  that 
he  was  bringing  state  despatches,  Zabern,  in  a  loud  voice, 
bade  him  begone  and  carry  the  despatches  to  the  —  well, 
a  certain  dark  gentleman  popularly  supposed  by  the  Mus 
covites  of  Czernova  to  be  a  near  relation  of  Zabern 
himself. 

"  And  have  you  never  before  loved  any  woman?"  asked 
Katina,  as  she  sat  on  the  marshal's  knee,  and  seeming  to 
be  quite  at  home  there,  too ! 

"  Never ;  but  now  I  shall  love  all  women  for  your 
sake." 

"  I  had  rather  you  did  not,"  said  Katina,  opening  wide 
her  eyes ;  and  then  as  she  nestled  closer  within  his  em 
brace  she  murmured,  "  this  is  more  pleasant  than  to  hang 
for  the  slaying  of  Orloff." 

"  Much  more,"  remarked  Zabern.  '  To  shoot  him 
would  have  been  a  very  inadequate  retribution  for  what 
he  made  you  suffer.  One  swift  pang,  and  all  would  have 
been  over.  Now  I  will  point  out  a  better  way  of  avenging 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

yourself  —  a  way  that  shall  cause  Orloff  to  eat  out  his 
heart  in  vexation  of  spirit." 

"But,  Ladislas,"  answered  Katina,  for  she  had  begun  to 
call  the  marshal  by  his  Christian  name :  "  Ladislas,"  she 
repeated,  with  a  pressure  of  his  arms,  "  love  has  extin 
guished  the  desire  for  vengeance." 

"  Humph !  well,  vengeance  or  no  vengeance,  there  is  a 
certain  work  to  be  done,  and  a  work,  too,  that  must  be 
kept  so  secret  that  I  dare  not  trust  any  one  with  the  knowl 
edge  of  it,  save  you,  my  second  self." 

"  If  it  be  a  task  that  can  be  performed  by  a  woman, 
let  me  be  the  one  to  do  it." 

"  Good !  Is  not  this  little  hand,"  said  Zabern,  raising 
it  to  his  lips  as  he  spoke,  "  that  can  use  pistol  so  well 
equally  skilled  in  handling  the  pen  ?  " 

"  And  how  can  my  penmanship  serve  you  ? "  asked 
Katina,  with  wonder  in  her  eyes.  "  Oh,  I  see,"  she  con 
tinued,  with  a  mock  pout,  "  you  wish  me  to  become  your 
secretary,  and  when  I  bring  despatches  to  the  door,  you 
will  tell  me  to  go  to  Satan,  as  you  did  to  that  poor  fellow 
just  now." 

'  This  is  how  your  pen  can  aid  me,"  said  Zabern. 
"  Listen,  while  I  reveal  to  you  a  state  secret  unknown 
even  to  the  princess  and  her  cabinet." 

And  here  the  marshal  proceeded  to  whisper  his  com 
munication,  adding  at  its  close,  "  Now  you  understand 
the  work  I  require  of  you  ?  " 

"  O  Ladislas,  Ladislas,"  she  said,  gravely  shaking 
her  head  at  him,  "  I  believe  you  want  to  hang  me,  after 
all." 

"  I  have  hanged  men  for  similar  work  —  true.  But 
this  deed  is  a  pardonable  one,  seeing  that  it  is  for  the  good 
of  the  state.  'The  end  justifies  the  means '-  — that 's 
Cardinal  Ravenna's  maxim ;  and  if  a  holy  churchman 
adopts  that  policy,  why  should  not  the  profane  Zabern 
likewise?  The  plan  I  have  suggested  is  the  only  way  of 

252 


The  Envoy  of  the  Czar 

defeating  the  knavery  of  Orloff,  and  of  saving  Czernova 
from  the  power  of  the  Czar.  Your  hand  is  more  expert 
and  delicate  than  mine,  else  would  I  not  set  it  to  this 
task.  I  dare  not  entrust  its  execution  to  any  other,  for  it 
would  be  hazardous  to  admit  a  fourth  person  to  the  secret. 
The  knowledge  of  it  must  be  confined  to  Katina,  Captain 
Woodville,  and  Zabern.  You  will  do  this  ?  " 

"  I  will  do  anything  you  ask  of  me,"  replied  Katina, 
simply. 


253 


CHAPTER  XII 

THE    POLISH    CONSPIRACY 

ON  the  evening  of  the  day  that  had  witnessed  the 
envoy's  defeat  a  masked  ball  was  held,  and  the 
halls  and  gardens  of  the  Vistula  Palace  were 
alive  with  gay  revellers. 

The  centre  of  attraction  was  the  spacious  ball-room, 
where,  beneath  golden  chandeliers  that  shed  a  radiance 
brighter  than  that  of  the  sun,  moved  a  crowd  of  Czer- 
nova's  noblest  and  fairest. 

The  picturesque  character  of  the  dresses,  the  glow  of 
color,  the  perfume  of  flowers,  the  gayety  of  the  music, 
and  the  rippling  laughter  of  fair  masqueraders,  formed  a 
scene  bewildering  and  intoxicating  to  the  senses. 

Amid  this  throng  moved  Paul  Woodville  in  eager 
quest  of  the  masked  Barbara,  who  had  refrained  from 
telling  him  what  costume  she  would  assume.  If  he  were 
a  true  lover  he  ought  to  be  able  to  penetrate  her  disguise, 
she  had  playfully  observed,  and  if  he  failed  to  discover 
her,  why  then  the  want  of  discernment  on  his  part  should 
bring  its  own  punishment. 

As  he  moved  here  and  there  witching  glances  were 
cast  at  him  by  masked  ladies,  for  as  regards  figure  and 
dress,  few  were  more  qualified  than  Paul  to  serve  as  a 
cavalier. 

He  had  adopted  the  old  Polish  costume.  With  a  four- 
cornered  cap  adorned  by  a  waving  heron  plume,  silken 
"  contuschi "  that  fell  in  graceful  folds  around  well- 
shaped  limbs  clad  in  tight  silk  hose,  short  boots  decorated 

254 


The  Polish  Conspiracy 

with  gold  lace,  and  a  curved,  diamond-hiked  sabre  swing 
ing  lightly  by  his  side,  Paul  walked  among  the  men  pres 
ent,  the  noblest  figure  of  them  all ;  and  many  whispering 
inquiries  were  interchanged  as  to  his  identity. 

At  length  Paul  caught  sight  of  a  graceful  figure,  robed 
in  the  silver-gray  habit  of  a  nun,  standing  solitary  by  the 
entrance  of  a  corridor  leading  from  the  ball-room. 

He  watched  and  saw  her  with  a  pretty  shake  of  her 
head  repel  in  silence  the  addresses  of  three  cavaliers  in 
succession. 

As  Paul  drew  near,  the  lady  suddenly  turned  her  head 
and  flashed  a  glance  at  him  through  the  eyelet-holes  of 
her  black  silk  vizard.  That  glance  was  sufficient,  and  in 
another  moment  he  was  by  her  side. 

"  Fair  lady,"  he  whispered,  "  why  this  sad  costume?" 

"  Is  it  not  the  garb  of  innocence  ?  "  returned  the  lady 
in  a  low  and  obviously  disguised  voice. 

"  True,  but  it  is  also  the  negation  of  love." 

"  And  why  should  I  not  frown  upon  love  ?  " 

"  Because  you  would  be  gainsaying  the  vows  you  made 
to  me  in  the  old  Greek  temple." 

"  Ah,  Paul !  you  have  discovered  me,"  she  whispered, 
her  lips  smiling  beneath  the  lace  of  her  mask.  "  Now  I, 
in  turn,  will  ask,  '  Why  this  old  Polish  costume  ?  ' ' 

"  I  adopted  what  I  thought  would  most  please  you." 

"  And  it  does  please  me,"  she  replied  with  a  tender 
light  in  her  eyes.  "  And  it  is  suitable  to  the  character  of 
the  revelation  you  shall  hear  to-night.  Come,  we  will 
not  dance  just  yet.  Take  me  to  the  gardens,  to  the 
Long  Terrace." 

Conscious  of  something  odd  in  her  manner,  Paul, 
drawing  her  arm  within  his  own,  conducted  Barbara 
from  the  brilliant  ball-room  to  the  quieter  scene  with 
out,  and  on  reaching  a  retired  corner  of  the  marble  ter 
race,  he  seated  her  beside  himself. 

It  was  a  lovely  midsummer  night.  The  air  was  pure 
255 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

and  temperate,  and  alive  with  the  plash  and  sparkle  of 
numerous  fountains.  The  silver  orb  of  the  moon,  set  in 
a  dark-blue  sky,  and  the  colored  lamps  gleaming  every 
where  among  the  foliage  combined  to  produce  a  poetical 
glamor  that  might  have  gladdened  the  eyes  even  of 
Titania  herself,  the  Queen  of  Fairyland. 

"  Who  could  have  thought,"  said  Paul,  after  compli 
menting  Barbara  upon  the  admirable  manner  in  which 
she  had  out-manoeuvred  the  Russian  envoy,  "  who  could 
have  thought  when  we  first  met  in  that  Dalmatian  forest 
that  a  great  empire  would  one  day  demand  my  extradi 
tion,  and  that  you  would  bravely  refuse  to  grant  it !  " 

"  And  I  will  not  surrender  you,  Paul.  No,  not  if  it 
should  cost  me  my  throne." 

How  sweet  it  was  to  hear  such  words  from  this  fair 
princess !  She  who  was  a  match  for  the  Czar's  envoy  to 
set  such  store  by  him !  This  maiden  pressing  tenderly  to 
his  side  scarcely  seemed  to  be  the  same  person  who  that 
morning  had  filled  a  throne  with  such  dignity.  Nor  was 
she.  Love  had  entirely  transfigured  her. 

"  Paul,"  she  said  quietly,  "  I  have  told  the  duke  that  I 
cannot  marry  him." 

"  How  did  he  take  the  tidings  ?  " 

"  He  said  little,  but  his  face  expressed  much  — 

"  Much  —  ?  " 

"  Hatred,  then,  if  you  will  have  the  word.  Excluded 
from  the  cabinet,  and  from  the  command  of  the  army, 
he  is  not  likely  to  sit  down  quietly  under  such  dishonor 
ing.  And,"  she  added  with  a  sigh,  "  he  is  a  political 
force  to  be  reckoned  with." 

"  Sweet  princess,  give  me  leave  to  resume  the  duel  with 
him,  and  you  shall  soon  be  rid  of  one  whom  you  seem  to 
fear." 

"  No,  Paul,  no,"  she  said,  laying  her  hand  affection 
ately  upon  his ;  "  promise  me  that  you  will  not  fight  with 
him  again." 

256 


The  Polish  Conspiracy 

"  Does  the  princess  command  ?  " 

"No;  your  Barbara  entreats,"  she  said  with  a  soft 
pressure  of  her  arm.  Who  could  resist  such  an  appeal 
as  this  ? 

"  I  do  not  doubt  your  ability  to  overcome  the  duke, 
for  Zabern  has  told  me  of  your  feat  in  the  salle  d'armes; 
but  you  forget  that  duelling  is  illegal  in  Czernova.  Would 
you  have  me  send  you  to  the  Citadel?  Moreover,  if  you 
should  slay  the  duke  it  would  become  the  aim  of  every 
Muscovite  fanatic  to  slay  you.  As  it  is,  I  fear  you  will 
carry  your  life  in  your  hands,  when  men  come  to  learn 
that  you  are  the  cause  of  the  duke's  rejection.  Czernova 
is  but  semi-civilized,  and  assassination  is  the  favorite 
political  weapon  here.  I  would,  Paul,  that  you  would 
do  even  as  Zabern." 

"  And  what  is  Zabern's  habit  ?  " 

"  He  wears  chain-mail  beneath  his  clothing." 

"  An  uncomfortable  arrangement,  I  should  say.  For 
my  own  part  I  will  rely  on  my  right  arm  and  on  my  good 
sword.  Fear  not  for  me.  But,  dearest  Barbara,  will  you 
not  unmask,  and  let  me  see  your  face,  if  only  for  a 
moment  ?  " 

She  shook  her  head  tantalizingly. 

"  I  would  if  I  dared,  but  who  knows  what  eyes  may  be 
watching  me  at  this  moment?  There  are  Russian  spies 
at  this  masquerade,  so  Zabern  assures  me.  I  must  not 
be  recognized  in  this  guise.  Ah!  who  comes  here?" 
Paul  felt  her  arm  trembling  upon  his,  as  there  moved 
slowly  along  the  moonlit  terrace  a  tall  and  stately  figure 
robed  in  a  monastic  habit.  His  cassock  was  identical  in 
its  shade  of  gray  with  the  nun's  gown  worn  by  Barbara, 
and  like  hers,  it  was  marked  on  each  shoulder  with  a  red 
cross. 

Having  reached  the  place  where  Barbara  sat,  the  monk 
paused,  surveyed  her  attentively  for  a  moment,  and  then 
spoke,  — 

17  257 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

"  May  a  brother  claim  a  few  words  from  a  sister  of 
the  same  order  ?  " 

"  How  know  you  that  I  am  of  the  same  order?  " 

:'  The  '  Transfigured '  cannot  be  hidden  from  each 
other." 

"  Paul,"  she  whispered,  "  I  must  speak  with  this  man 
alone  for  a  short  time.  Remain  here." 

The  princess  arose,  and  in  company  with  the  new 
comer  paced  slowly  to  and  fro  along  the  terrace,  re 
peatedly  passing  Paul. 

This  proceeding  on  the  part  of  Barbara  was  some 
what  strange,  but  not  altogether  incomprehensible.  Paul 
had  learned  that  the  word  "  Transfigured  "  was  used  by 
the  patriots  of  Czernova  in  the  sense  of  one  who,  from 
a  state  of  despair  as  regards  Poland,  had  passed  to  a 
state  of  hope.  Its  English  equivalent  was  "  conspira 
tor."  The  term  naturally  associated  itself  with  the 
Convent  of  the  Transfiguration,  and  hence  Paul  con 
cluded  that  this  masked  individual  was  a  monk  sent  from 
that  very  mysterious  monastery  with  some  important 
message. 

The  conversation,  of  which  he  did  not  overhear  one 
word,  occupied  about  fifteen  minutes,  and  ended  by  the 
monk  passing  some  papers  to  the  princess,  who  immedi 
ately  concealed  them  upon  her  person,  an  action  per 
formed  so  quickly  that  Paul  almost  doubted  whether  it 
had  really  taken  place. 

This  transference  of  documents  accomplished,  the  monk 
glided  quietly  away,  and  the  princess  returned  to  the  side 
of  Paul. 

Ere  he  had  time  to  question  Barbara  on  the  nature  of 
the  interview,  Paul  saw  with  surprise  a  second  masked 
friar  making  his  way  along  the  terrace.  He  was  robed 
so  precisely  like  the  other  that  Paul  at  first  thought  it 
was  the  same  individual ;  but  a  nearer  view  showed  that 
he  was  of  shorter  and  more  massive  build.  There  could 

258 


The  Polish  Conspiracy 

be  no  doubt  that  he,  too,  was  bent  on  having  an  interview 
with  the  princess. 

Was  this  sort  of  thing  to  last  all  night? 

Barbara  guessed  his  thoughts,  and  her  teeth  gleamed 
in  a  pretty  smile  beneath  the  silken  fringe  of  her  vizard. 

"  Patience,  Paul,"  she  whispered.  "  This  is  the  second 
and  last.  There  in  the  distance  comes  Marshal  Zabern, 
and  as  I  must  have  no  secrets  from  you  he  shall  act  as 
my  interpreter." 

On  the  approach  of  the  monk  the  same  interchange  of 
words  took  place,  evidently  a  pre-arranged  signal,  and, 
as  before,  Barbara  arose  and  joined  in  conversation  with 
the  new-comer. 

A  moment  afterwards  another  figure  came  upon  the 
scene  whom,  in  spite  of  the  mask  and  black  domino,  Paul 
recognized  as  Zabern. 

The  marshal  sat  down  by  Paul's  side  and  fixed  his  eyes 
upon  the  princess,  who,  a  little  distance  away,  was  stoop 
ing  over  the  balustrade  of  the  terrace,  apparently  engaged 
in  the  act  of  writing. 

"  What  think  you  that  the  princess  is  now  doing  ?  " 
asked  Zabern. 

"  One  might  fancy  her  to  be  setting  down  the  name  of 
a  cavalier  upon  her  dance-programme,  but  I  suppose 
such  is  not  the  case?" 

"  Captain  Woodville,"  returned  the  marshal  impres 
sively,  "  you  are  witnessing  an  event  destined  to  change 
the  map  of  Europe  in  the  near  future.  The  princess  is 
signing  a  secret  treaty  with  Louis  Kossuth,  the  un 
crowned  King  of  Hungary." 

Paul's  surprise  and  wonderment  can  be  better  imag 
ined  than  described. 

'*  The  princess  has  signified  to  me  her  wish  that  you 
should  be  admitted  to  the  circle  of  '  The  Transfigured ; ' 
and  convinced  as  I  am  of  your  loyalty  to  her,  I  offer  no 
opposition,  knowing  that  if  you  should  not  altogether  ap- 

259 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

prove  of  our  policy,  you  will  at  least  keep  our  secret. 
It  is  our  custom  to  exact  an  oath  from  initiates  —  " 
"  I  will  vow  upon  the  Four  Evangelists  — 
"  Upon  your  sword  if  you  must  swear  at  all,  as  our 
Polish  chevaliers  of  old  when  at  church  they  recited  the 
'  Credo.'     Our  initiatory  oath  can  be  dispensed  with  in 
your  case.     Your  promise   is   sufficient.      The   word   of 
a    soldier    should    be    sacred.      You    pledge    yourself    to 
secrecy?" 

And  when  Paul  had  assented,  the  marshal  continued,  — 
"  Know,  then,  that  Princess  Natalie  is  at  the  head  of  a 
secret  enterprise,  —  '  conspiracy  '  wrould  be  the  Czar's 
word,  —  an  enterprise  for  the  liberation  of  Poland  from 
the  Russian  yoke.  The  two  monks  are  agents  in  this 
affair.  The  first  is  a  Pole  bringing  documents  from  the 
headquarters  of  the  patriots  at  "Warsaw.  The  second 
is  a  Hungarian  from  Buda  charged  with  the  secret  treaty 
from  Kossuth.  The  masquerade  of  to-night  was  held 
with  a  special  view  to  their  meeting  the  princess,  no  other 
way  being  so  well  suited  to  divert  suspicion ;  for  with 
spies  all  around  us  it  behoves  us  to  act  with  caution. 
The  traitor  Bora,  at  this  moment  in  the  ball-room, 
little  knows  what  is  happening  only  a  stone's-throw 
off." 

"  But  what  interest  hath  Hungary  in  this  affair  ?  " 
"  Hungary  is  herself  preparing  to  revolt  from  the 
despotic  rule  of  the  House  of  Hapsburg.  Next  spring 
she  will  rise  under  Louis  Kossuth,  whose  triumph  is 
certain.  Hungary  will  again  take  her  place  among  the 
free  nations  of  Europe.  We  in  Czernova  sympathize 
with  the  Magyars,  but  as  matters  are  at  present  we  dare 
not  openly  aid  them  with  our  army.  Austria  would  cry 
to  the  Czar,  and  the  Czar,  availing  himself  of  the  oppor 
tunity,  would  lose  no  time  in  annexing  Czernova.  We 
are  thus  necessitated  to  give  our  aid  in  secret.  Money  is 
the  sinews  of  war ;  we  therefore  lend  the  Hungarians 

260 


The  Polish  Conspiracy 

money  on  the  understanding  that  they  in  turn  shall  aid 
us  when  the  day  of  Poland  comes." 

"And  how  much  are  you  advancing?" 

"  One  hundred  and  eighty  million  roubles ;  not  paper 
money,  mark  you,  but  sterling  gold  in  coinage  and  plate." 

The  vastness  of  the  sum  —  thirty  millions  in  English 
money  —  filled  Paul  with  amazement. 

"  How  has  Czernova  contrived  to  raise  such  a  large 
amount  ?  " 

"  But  small  part  of  it  comes  from  Czernova.  It  repre 
sents  the  free-will  offerings  of  Polish  patriots  throughout 
the  world  for  a  long  course  of  years.  Noble  ladies  have 
given  their  jewellery,  the  peasant  his  kopek,  ay,  often  his 
last  kopek,  to  the  good  cause." 

"  And  where  is  this  treasure  stored  ?  " 

"  In  the  Convent  of  the  Transfiguration.  Yes,"  con 
tinued  Zabern,  "  we  aid  Hungary,  and  Hungary  will  aid 
us  when  the  great  day  of  vengeance  shall  come." 

"  And  when  will  that  be  ?  " 

*  Russia's  danger  is  Poland's  opportunity,'  —  that  is 
the  Czernovese  motto.  We  are  waiting  till  Russia  shall 
be  engaged  in  war  with  England." 

"  Is  such  war  likely  to  occur?  " 

"  It  is  a  certain  event  of  the  near  future.  In  the  School 
of  Naval  Engineers  at  Sebastopol,"  said  Zabern,  begin 
ning  a  statement,  whose  relevancy  Paul  failed  at  first  to 
perceive,  "  is  a  complete  representation  of  all  the  forts 
that  line  the  Bosphorus  with  their  towers  and  bastions, 
together  with  the  most  minute  details  respecting  the 
creeks  and  currents  of  that  famous  strait ;  so  that  the 
Russian  War  Minister  sitting  at  Sebastopol  with  these 
models  before  him  could  direct  the  whole  plan  of  an  at 
tack  upon  Constantinople." 

"  Well  ?  " 

"  Imperative  orders  have  just  been  issued  from  St. 
Petersburg  commanding  the  naval  captains  to  study  these 

261 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

models ;  lectures  upon  them  are  given  daily  to  the  naval 
cadets.  Bearing  in  mind  Alexander's  saying  to  Napo 
leon,  '  //  font  aroir  les  clefs  dc  noire  maison  dans  la 
pochc'  what  inference  do  you  draw  ?  " 

"  That  Russia  is  preparing  to  seize  the  Sultan's 
dominions  ?  " 

"  Precisely.     Will  England  permit  this  ?  " 

"  Not  while  '  Old  Pam  '  is  living." 

"'Old  Pam'?"  said  Zabern,  puzzled  till  Paul  explained. 
"  Ah !  your  grand  Lord  Palmerston,  the  friend  of  op 
pressed  nationalities !  Well,  then,  we  shall  soon  have  an 
Anglo-Russian  war.  Your  gallant  armies  and  fleets  will 
be  seen  ere  long  off  the  shores  of  the  Baltic  and  Euxine. 
My  faith  in  the  bravery  of  your  countrymen  enables  me 
to  prophesy  that  they  will  be  victorious.  And  then  will 
come  the  day  of  our  triumph !  " 

The  patriotic  Zabern,  whose  days  from  boyhood  had 
been  spent  in  struggling  for  the  freedom  of  his  father 
land,  was  now  fully  convinced  that  success  was  at  hand. 

"  Yes,"  he  continued,  his  eye  kindling  with  enthu 
siasm  ;  "  yes,  in  the  hour  of  Russia's  humiliation,  when 
her  treasury  is  exhausted  and  her  armies  demoralized  by 
defeat,  there  will  be  an  upheaval  of  Poland ;  no  feeble 
flash-in-the-pan  this  time,  but  a  grand  national  uprising, 
north,  south,  east,  and  west.  Little  Czernova  will  be  to 
the  fore  with  her  army  of  twenty  thousand  under  Zabern  ; 
the  Magyars  of  Hungary  will  pour  across  the  border 
with  Kossuth  at  their  head ;  there  will  be  a  combination 
such  as  will  compel  Russia  to  part  with  the  kingdom  she 
wickedly  stole  fifty  years  ago.  When  I  was  born  Poland 
was  free ;  I  shall  die  seeing  her  free  again.  And  the 
princess  —  " 

"  Yes,  and  the  princess  ?  "  inquired  Paul,  as  Zabern 
paused  in  his  utterance. 

"  Will  be  a  princess  no  longer.  The  patriots  have 
agreed  that  Natalie  Lilieska,  as  the  sole  surviving  de- 

262 


The  Polish  Conspiracy 

scendant  of  the  ancient  Jagellons,  shall  be  the  queen  of 
resuscitated  Poland.  Queen?  ay,  and  why  not  empress? 
Is  she  not  worthy  of  an  imperial  crown  ?  " 

Paul's  head  fairly  swam  at  these  words.  The  sweet, 
fair,  dark-haired  maiden  who  loved  him,  and  who  clung 
to  him  with  such  touching  fidelity,  a  future  queen  —  em 
press  !  He  knew  that  Barbara  would  never  waver  in  her 
attachment  to  him ;  to  what  dazzling  heights,  then,  was 
he  destined  to  rise? 

He  glanced  at  the  two  gray  moonlit  figures  in  the  dis 
tance  —  the  monk  and  the  nun  —  conspiring  for  the  crea 
tion  of  a  kingdom.  How  romantically  impossible  seemed 
this  scheme  looked  at  beforehand !  and  yet  how  many  of 
the  noblest  events  in  history  have  been  previously  de 
clared  impossible  by  political  prophets ! 

"  As  touching  your  secret  treasure,"  remarked  Paul, 
"  is  there  not  a  bill  before  the  Diet,  —  a  bill  to  seize  all 
monastic  wealth  and  to  convert  it  to  state  purposes  ?  " 

"  At  this  very  moment  the  Diet  is  putting  its  veto  upon 
the  measure.  To-night  was  fixed  for  the  second  reading. 
Our  Polish  adherents  are  assembled  in  full  force  to  re 
ject  it.  After  to-night  we  shall  hear  no  more  of  Lipski's 
bill.  It  would  be  an  ill  day  for  us  if  it  should  pass. 
Ostensibly  directed  against  Czernovese  monasteries  in 
general,  it  is  really  aimed  at  the  Convent  of  the  Trans 
figuration.  The  Czerno-Muscovites  have  a  suspicion 
that  the  monks  of  that  establishment  do  other  things  be 
sides  offering  perpetual  prayers  for  Poland,  and  the  sus 
picion  is  well  founded.  If  public  commissioners  enter 
that  monastery  they  will  discover  not  only  our  store  of 
gold,  but  likewise  the  documents  relating  to  our  patriotic 
conspiracy ;  and  more  than  these,  plans  and  models  of 
Russian  fortresses,  supplied  by  our  adherents  in  the 
Czar's  army,  who  are  not  a  few.  The  convent  contains 
arms  for  one  hundred  thousand  men,  gunpowder  suffi 
cient  to  blow  up  all  Czernova,  and  in  addition  new  mili- 

263 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

tary  engines.  Some  of  the  inmates  of  that  convent 
devote  their  time  to  chemistry  and  mechanics ;  and  in 
the  coming  struggle  betwixt  Poland  and  Russia  we  shall 
have  the  first  use  of  inventions  destined  to  revolutionize 
the  old-fashioned  methods  of  warfare.  In  the  light  of 
these  inventions  the  numbers  of  our  enemy  will  count  for 
little.  Now  you  understand  why  the  Convent  of  the 
Transfiguration  must  be  kept  from  the  eyes  of  prying 
intruders." 

"  I  likewise  grasp  the  meaning  of  that  passage  in  Or- 
loff 's  cipher  despatch,  —  '  The  success  of  Lipski's  bill  is 
Russia's  justification.' ': 

"  I  admit  the  truth  of  the  statement.  The  secrets  of 
that  convent,  if  brought  to  the  light  of  day,  would  prove 
that  the  resources  of  Czernova  are  being  utilized  for  the 
emancipation  of  Poland.  And  have  we  not  the  right  to 
attempt  the  recovery  of  the  kingdom  stolen  from  our 
forefathers?  Nevertheless,  in  the  opinion  of  European 
statesmen  fettered  by  conventional  precedents,  our  aim 
would  amply  justify  the  Czar  in  annexing  the  principal 
ity.  Therefore  Lipski's  bill  must  not  pass." 

At  this  juncture  Barbara,  having  finished  her  inter 
view,  returned  to  the  side  of  Paul ;  Zabern,  desirous  of 
a  word  with  the  Hungarian  envoy,  went  forward  to  in 
tercept  his  departure. 

"  So  Zabern  has  told  you  of  our  enterprise  ?  What 
think  you,  Paul?  " 

"  May  the  crown  of  Poland  indeed  be  yours,  Barbara. 
And  yet  —  and  yet  —  the  higher  you  climb  the  greater 
the  gulf  between  us." 

"  You  shall  rise  with  me,  Paul,"  she  said,  placing  her 
hand  tenderly  within  his.  "  You,  who  gained  fame  in 
India,  shall  gain  a  greater  fame  in  the  coming  war,  and 
then  there  will  be  no  obstacle  to  our  union.  '  Let  the 
princess  marry  merit  and  not  title,'  men  will  say." 

This  gave  a  new  aspect  to  their  love-affair,  —  an  as- 
264 


The  Polish  Conspiracy 

pect  which  appealed  to  Paul's  dashing  and  adventurous 
spirit;  like  the  knights  of  a  bygone  age  he  would  fight 
both  for  the  winning  of  fame  and  also  for  the  hand  of  a 
lovely  princess.  If  the  patriotic  conspiracy  should  end 
in  failure,  alas !  for  Barbara's  hopes,  but  so  much  the  bet 
ter  for  his  prospect  of  a  final  union  with  her.  His  good 
fortune,  he  trusted,  would  enable  him  to  emerge  safely 
from  the  political  ruins  of  Czernova,  and  with  Barbara 
he  would  retire  to  his  ancestral  hall  in  Kent,  where  they 
would  spend  the  rest  of  their  days  in  quiet  happiness, 
and  recall  with  melancholy  pleasure  the  time  when  they 
had  plotted  and  fought  for  the  crown  of  Poland. 

Zabern,  having  parted  from  the  Hungarian  messenger, 
sat  down  on  the  other  side  of  the  princess,  and  for  a  long 
time  the  trio  talked  of  the  conspiracy.  Among  other 
matters,  Paul  learned  that  Katina  was  cognizant  of  the 
conspiracy,  and  that  all  the  cabinet  likewise  were  par 
ticipants,  with  the  exception  of  the  two  permanent 
members  —  Cardinal  Ravenna  and  Mosco  the  Greek 
Archpastor. 

"  I  can  understand  your  Highness's  motive  in  keeping 
our  enterprise  concealed  from  a  Muscovite  prelate,"  re 
marked  Zabern ;  "  but  with  regard  to  Ravenna  is  not  the 
case  different?  He  would  be  extremely  useful  to  us  in 
drawing  the  Catholic  clergy  of  Poland  into  the  plot." 

"  Marshal,"  said  Barbara  firmly,  "  I  know  the  cardinal, 
and  I  know  that  he  is  not  to  be  trusted." 

Their  attention  was  diverted  at  this  point  by  the  ap 
proach  of  two  masked  figures,  each  habited,  like  Zabern, 
in  a  black  domino. 

"  Radzivil  and  Dorislas  returning  from  the  Diet,"  ob 
served  the  marshal.  The  premier  and  his  colleague  rec 
ognized  the  princess  and  Zabern  by  their  costumes,  but 
glanced  inquiringly  at  Paul,  uncertain  as  to  his  identity. 

"  Captain  Woodville,  my  lords,"  replied  Barbara,  re 
sponsive  to  their  thoughts. 

265 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

Paul  drew  aside,  permitting  Radzivil  to  take  a  place 
beside  Barbara,  a  courtesy  which  the  premier  gracefully 
acknowledged. 

Dorislas  with  folded  arms  leaned  in  silence  against  the 
marble  balustrade  of  the  terrace.  As  far  as  can  be  judged 
of  men  who  are  masked  and  cloaked,  both  the  premier 
and  the  finance  minister  were  in  a  very  gloomy  mood. 
Paul  intuitively  felt  that  they  were  the  bearers  of  bad 
tidings. 

"  Has  your  Highness  signed  the  treaty  with  Kossuth  ?  *' 
began  Radzivil. 

"  An  hour  ago.  The  Hungarian  envoy  has  departed 
with  it." 

"  I  fear,  princess,  that  the  treaty  will  have  to  be  re 
scinded.  We  are  doomed  to  lose  our  treasure." 

"  Say  not  so,  count.  The  Catholic  Poles  form  the 
majority  in  the  Diet ;  why  should  they  desert  both  their 
princess  and  their  religion  ?  " 

"  This  evening,  as  your  Highness  knows,"  explained 
the  premier,  "  there  took  place  the  second  reading  of  the 
Secular  Appropriation  Bill.  During  the  course  of  the 
debate  Lipski  presented  to  the  House  certain  statistics 
appraising  the  wealth  contained  in  the  various  monas 
teries  of  Czernova.  These  statistics  were,  of  course, 
purely  imaginary  — 

"  For,"  intervened  Dorislas,  "  if  he  knew  the  whole 
truth  concerning  the  Convent  of  the  Transfiguration  he 
would  have  put  the  amount  at  four  times  his  actual 
estimate." 

"  Just  so,"  responded  Radzivil,  a  melancholy  smile 
appearing  beneath  his  mask.  "  Well,  he  attempted  to 
prove  by  means  of  these  statistics  that  the  monastic 
wealth  would  enable  Czernova  to  be  tax-free  for  the  next 
three  years.  The  House  eagerly  caught  at  the  bait.  All 
the  Muscovite  faction  voted  with  Lipski  as  a  matter  of 
course ;  and  many  of  our  side,  charmed  with  the  idea  of 

266 


The  Polish  Conspiracy 

a  three  years'  remission  of  taxation,  likewise  cast  their 
suffrages  in  favor  of  the  bill.  The  members  of  our  party 
do  not  know  the  reason  why  the  ministry  are  so  anxious 
to  throw  the  aegis  of  their  protection  over  the  convents, 
and,  of  course,  we  dare  not  take  them  into  our  confidence. 
The  result  is,  and  with  extreme  regret  I  announce  it  to 
your  Highness,  that  the  second  reading  of  the  Appro 
priation  Bill  has  been  carried  by  a  majority  of  eleven." 

"  Ha !  "  muttered  Zabern  to  himself.  "  Orloff 's  gold  is 
doing  its  work." 

"  Was  there  a  full  house?"  asked  Barbara. 

"  Your  Highness,  every  member  of  the  Opposition  was 
present ;   and  on  our  side  there  were  but  three  absentees, 
—  the  marshal,  the  cardinal,  and  the  duke." 

"The  duke?"  said  Barbara.  "I  fear  that  his  vote 
will  be  given  against  us  now,  which  will  raise  the  ma 
jority  to  twelve.  The  marshal's  vote  and  the  cardinal's 
would  reduce  it  to  ten.  When  does  the  third  reading 
take  place  ?  " 

"  It  has  been  fixed  for  this  day  week." 

"  Ten  votes  against  us,"  murmured  the  princess.  "  The 
transference  of  six  votes  from  the  opposite  side  would 
place  us  in  a  majority  of  two.  My  lords,  we  must  win 
over  those  six  votes,  if  no  more." 

"  I  fail  to  see  how  it 's  to  be  done,"  commented  Radzivil 
gloomily. 

Silence  fell  upon  the  little  group.  Truly,  with  the 
Charter  destroyed,  and  with  Lipski's  bill  on  the  eve  of 
triumphing,  Barbara's  throne  was  in  desperate  jeopardy. 

"Cannot  your  Highness  refuse  to  sign  the  bill?" 
asked  Paul. 

"  By  the  terms  of  the  Charter,"  replied  Barbara,  "  the 
ruler  of  Czernova  is  compelled  to  sign  every  bill  passed 
by  the  Diet.  In  the  event  of  refusal  the  Diet  has  the 
right  of  calling  upon  Russia,  Austria,  and  Prussia,  to 
enforce  the  signature." 

267 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

"  And  Lipski  and  his  Muscovite  crew  would  not  be 
slow  in  appealing  to  them,"  remarked  Dorislas.  "  And 
we  know  what  the  intervention  of  the  three  Powers 
would  mean." 

"  If  I  should  dissolve  the  Diet,  and  order  a  fresh  elec 
tion  —  ?  "  began  Barbara. 

"  We  should  have  the  same  majority  against  us,"  re 
plied  Radzivil. 

"  Insert  a  clause  in  the  bill,"  suggested  Paul,  "  to  the 
effect  that  the  Convent  of  the  Transfiguration  shall  be 
exempted  from  the  operation  of  the  bill." 

"  Useless,"  answered  the  premier,  "  since  that  convent 
is  the  one  particularly  aimed  at." 

"  A  clause  giving  her  Highness  sole  power  to  appoint 
the  Commissioners." 

Dorislas  grinned. 

"  I  moved  that  amendment  myself,  but  it  was  rejected." 

"  Play  Cromwell's  game :  on  the  day  of  the  voting 
station  troopers  at  the  doors  of  the  Diet-house  to  exclude 
obnoxious  members ;  or  the  night  before  carry  some  off 
and  detain  them  till  the  voting  is  over." 

"  Unconstitutional,"  said  Barbara.  ''  To  secure  the 
rejection  of  the  bill  by  such  methods  would  be  to  court 
the  intervention  of  the  three  Powers." 

"  Secretly  withdraw  the  documents  and  the  treasure 
from  the  convent." 

"  With  soldiers  patrolling  the  precincts  ?  "  said  Dor 
islas.  "  Lipski,  subtle  knave  that  he  is,  has  artfully 
turned  our  own  bayonets  against  us.  Every  one  pass 
ing  out  of  the  convent  is  carefully  searched." 

"  Bribe  the  soldiers." 

"  Lipski  is  alive  to  that  manoeuvre.  Day  and  night 
his  creatures  are  watching  that  monastery." 

"  Let  the  monks,  then,  bury  the  arms  and  the  treasure 
within  their  own  walls." 

"  Lipski,  who  is  certain  to  be  appointed  one  of  the 
268 


The  Polish  Conspiracy 

Commissioners,  will  dig  up  every  foot  of  ground  and  pull 
down  ever)r  brick  in  his  endeavors  to  discover  something 
of  disadvantage  to  the  ministry,"  returned  Dorislas. 

Paul  made  no  more  suggestions ;  how,  indeed,  could  he, 
when  it  passed  the  wit  of  the  premier  himself  to  devise  a 
plan  adequate  for  defeating  the  manoeuvres  of  Lipski? 

"  If  the  bill  should  pass,"  continued  Dorislas,  "  I  see 
but  one  way  out  of  our  difficulty.  The  monks  must  con 
trive  to  steal  out  some  dark  night,  leaving  a  slow  match 
burning  in  the  powder-magazine." 

"  And  we  must  lose  the  fruit  of  years  ?  "  said  the  prin 
cess,  mournfully. 

"  Why,  your  Highness,  consider  what  would  happen 
otherwise.  Here,  close  to  the  Russian  frontier,  and  com 
manding  the  highroad  to  Warsaw,  is  an  edifice,  presum 
ably  a  monastery,  but  in  reality  a  fortress  and  an  arsenal. 
True,  Abbot  Faustus  can  destroy  the  treasonable  docu 
ments  ;  yet,  nevertheless,  here  will  be  found,  because  im 
possible  to  be  annihilated  or  concealed,  a  vast  store  of 
gold,  rifles  for  one  hundred  thousand  men,  and  other 
war  materiel.  Vain  would  it  be  for  the  Czernovese  min 
istry  to  put  an  innocent  interpretation  upon  their  attempts 
to  keep  the  interior  workings  of  this  convent  from  public 
view.  The  Czar  would  be  wanting  in  common  sense  if 
he  should  not  see  in  all  this  a  menace  to  his  own  do 
minions.  His  ministers,  in  fact,  already  have  their  sus 
picions,  and  hence  they  are  more  eager  than  Lipski  him 
self  for  the  passing  of  the  Appropriation  Bill." 

"  I  note  that  the  marshal  has  not  yet  spoken,"  smiled 
Barbara ;  "  sure  proof  that  he  is  developing  some  plan. 
Now,  Zabern,  your  enemies  call  you  '  the  Asp  of  Czer- 
nova  ' ;  you  must  maintain  your  character  for  serpentine 
wisdom  by  extricating  us  from  our  dilemma." 

"  Fear  not,  your  Highness.  Lipski  shall  not  triumph. 
On  the  third  reading  I,  without  resorting  to  bribery, 
threats,  or  violence,  will  persuade  the  Diet  to  reject  his 
bill."  269 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

"How?"  asked  Radzivil,  who,  desirous  as  he  was  of 
seeing  the  measure  defeated,  yet  nevertheless  felt  ag 
grieved  that  Zabern  should  propose  to  do  what  he  him 
self,  the  premier,  despaired  of  doing;  "how?  what  is 
your  plan  ?  " 

"  To  reveal  it  beforehand  would  ensure  its  defeat.  My 
plan  is  one  which  requires  absolute  concealment." 

"  Even  from  the  princess  ?  "  said  Barbara. 

"  From  the  princess  most  of  all,"  replied  Zabern  with 
a  peculiar  smile. 

This  statement  was  naturally  productive  of  great  sur 
prise  on  the  part  of  Barbara. 

"  We  will  accept  your  saying,  marshal,  though  a  hard 
one,  and  put  a  check  upon  our  curiosity.  You  have  never 
yet  failed  to  keep  word  with  me  —  " 

"  And  shall  not  fail  now,  your  Highness." 

"  Then,"  said  Barbara,  rising,  as  there  came  floating 
on  the  air  from  the  ball-room  the  slow,  dreamy  music 
of  a  Hungarian  waltz,  "  then  if  Zabern  be  on  the  watch, 
the  princess  may  dance.  Captain  Woodville,  your  arm. 
You  were  promised  a  dance.  Let  me  redeem  my  word. 
But  first,  marshal,  guard  these  papers  for  me.  It  would 
be  dangerous  to  let  them  fall  upon  the  ball-room  floor." 

And  Barbara,  having  handed  to  Zabern  the  documents 
which  she  had  received  from  the  Polish  envoy,  moved 
off  towards  the  ball-room  leaning  upon  the  arm  of 
Paul. 

This  bestowal  of  favor  upon  her  secretary  caused  Rad 
zivil  and  Dorislas  to  stare  suspiciously  at  each  other ;  but 
ere  they  could  interchange  thought  on  the  matter,  their 
attention  was  diverted  by  the  sound  of  many  voices 
coming  from  the  direction  contrary  to  that  taken  by  the 
princess. 

Looking  up,  the  three  ministers  beheld  moving  along 
the  terrace  towards  them  a  company  of  masqueraders, 
ladies  and  gentlemen,  fancifully  costumed.  All  were 

270 


The  Polish  Conspiracy 

laughing  and  talking  gayly,  being  evidently  in  the  best 
of  spirits. 

"Whom  have  we  here?"  muttered  Radzivil,  eying 
the  throng. 

"  He  who  would  supplant  the  princess  in  the  sover 
eignty,"  replied  Zabern,  recognizing  the  central  figure, 
who  was  garbed  as  Peter  the  Great.  "  A  barbarian 
aping  a  barbarian." 

"The  Duke  of  Bora?" 

;<  The  same,  surrounded  by  his  favorites  and  satellites, 
all  jubilant  with  the  thought  that  Lipski's  bill  will  tri 
umph,  and  that  the  fall  of  the  princess  is  at  hand.  Let 
them  laugh.  Their  gayety  will  turn  to  mortification  after 
next  week's  vote  shall  have  been  taken.  Let  us  uncover 
and  tempt  the  traitor  to  address  us.  I  am  curious  to 
learn  what  he  will  say." 

As  the  duke  and  his  friends  drew  near  the  trio  un 
masked.  Bora,  catching  sight  of  them,  stopped  in  his 
walk,  and  then  came  slowly  forward  attended  by  his 
followers,  all  intent  on  enjoying  the  presumable  mortifi 
cation  of  the  ministers. 

"  A  sad  blow  this,  dear  marshal,  to  the  feelings  of  the 
princess,"  began  the  duke  blandly,  and  lighting  a  cigar 
as  he  spoke.  "  It 's  quite  certain  that  the  Appropriation 
Bill  will  pass." 

"  Pass  ?  Oh !  dear  no.  Nothing  of  the  sort,"  replied 
Zabern  in  his  most  cheerful  manner. 

"  We  have  just  been  informed  that  the  second  reading 
has  been  carried  by  a  majority  of  '  eleven.' ': 

:'  The  third  reading  has  yet  to  come." 

"  Now,  Saint  Nicholas  give  you  wisdom !  "  cried  Bora, 
amid  the  scarcely  repressed  laughter  of  his  creatures. 
"  Are  you  clinging  to  the  hope  that  the  men  who  voted 
one  thing  to-night  will  vote  the  contrary  seven  days 
hence?  " 

"  I  know  that  they  will,"  returned  Zabern,  coolly. 
271 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

"  There  is  certain  to  be  a  full  House  next  week  —  one 
hundred  and  twenty  members,  should  Ravenna  have 
returned  from  Rome  in  time  to  take  part  in  the  division. 
Out  of  that  number  I  venture  to  prophesy  that  seventy 
will  be  found  to  reject  the  bill." 

"  Giving  the  ministry  a  majority  of  twenty?" 

"  Giving  the  ministry  a  majority  of  twenty,"  repeated 
Zabern. 

Bora  could  only  attribute  this  utterance  to  mere 
bravado. 

"  Marshal,  I  should  like  to  know  with  what  amount 
you  will  back  your  opinion,"  he  sneered. 

"  With  whatever  sum  your  grace  is  prepared  to  back 
yours." 

"I  will  stake  five  thousand  roubles — "  began  the  duke. 

"  Oh !  your  grace,  make  it  more  than  that,"  said  Zabern 
affably. 

"  I  will  double  the  amount.  I  will  wager  ten  thousand 
roubles  that  the  votes  given  against  the  bill  will  fall  short 
of  seventy." 

"  Let  me  have  that  wager  in  your  handwriting,  dear 
duke,"  said  Zabern  blandly.  "  The  like  sum  from  me  if 
ministers  have  not  seventy  votes  on  their  side,  or  a  clear 
majority  of  twenty." 

When  the  written  pledges  had  been  interchanged  Rad- 
zivil  spoke,  addressing  the  duke  in  somewhat  indignant 
tones. 

"  And  do  you  bet,  then,  on  the  success  of  a  measure 
known  to  be  hateful  to  the  princess  ?  " 

Bora  shrugged  his  shoulders. 

"  This  is  a  bill  on  which  the  best  of  friends  may  differ, 
as  is  shown  by  the  schism  among  your  own  Polish  ad 
herents.  Remember,"  he  added,  "  there  must  be  no  un 
derhand  work  to  secure  the  passing  of  this  bill,  or  my 
wager  becomes  null  and  void.  There  must  be  no  bribery 
on  the  part  of  the  ministry." 

272 


The  Polish  Conspiracy 

"  We  leave  bribery  to  Lipski  and  his  principal,  Orloff ; 
or  shall  I  put  the  word  in  the  plural,  your  grace,  and  say 
principals,"  said  Zabern  with  a  meaning  smile. 

Bora  gave  a  slight  start,  which  did  not  escape  the 
other's  notice. 

"  You  see,  dear  duke,"  drawled  Zabern  airily,  "  we 
know  all  that  is  going  on  behind  the  scenes.  Governor 
Orloff  in  his  palace  at  Warsaw  pulls  the  strings,  and  the 
puppets  dance  in  the  Diet  of  Slavowitz.  Next  week  I 
shall  manipulate  the  strings,  and  you  shall  see  the  figures 
dancing  to  my  tune." 

The  duke  began  to  grow  somewhat  uneasy  under  the 
knowledge  displayed  by  Zabern.  In  his  previous  contests 
with  the  wily  Pole  he  had  always  come  off  second-best. 
Was  Zabern  again  to  triumph  over  him? 

''  You  talk  boldly,  marshal,"  he  said  with  a  supercili 
ous  smile,  "  but  I  think  I  shall  win  my  roubles." 

So  saying  he  passed  on  with  his  company. 

"  Humph !  "  muttered  Radzivil,  gloomily,  "  it 's  quite 
clear  that,  vexed  with  the  princess  for  excluding  him 
from  the  cabinet,  he  will  now  throw  in  his  lot  with  the 
Opposition." 

"  Therein  appearing  in  his  true  colors,"  replied  Za 
bern.  "  There  he  walks,  a  would-be  sovereign,  attended 
by  a  would-be  court.  Carpe  diem,  Bora,  carpe  diem! 
Enjoy  your  brief  span  of  existence!  The  I5th  of  Sep 
tember  next  will  see  your  end." 

"  The  1 5th  of  September?  "  repeated  Dorislas.  "  That 
is  the  day  of  the  princess's  coronation." 

"  True ;  and  if  I  rightly  forecast  the  future,  Dorislas, 
the  duke  will  not  outlive  that  day." 


18  273 


CHAPTER    XIII 

THE   FATE   OF   THE   APPROPRIATION    BILL 

BY  a   singular   turn   of   circumstances   the   day   on 
which  the  fate  of  the  Appropriation  Bill  was  to  be 
decided,   and  possibly  with  that  bill  the  fate  of 
Czernova  itself,  was  likewise  the  day  appointed  for  the 
annual  review  of  the  Czernovese  army. 

This  marshalling  of  troops  took  place  in  a  spacious 
plain  a  few  miles  to  the  north  of  Slavowitz,  and  was  pre 
sided  over  by  the  princess  herself. 

The  muster  fell  considerably  short  of  that  of  the  pre 
vious  year,  due  to  the  fact  that  many  of  the  troops  were 
engaged  in  the  duty  of  keeping  guard  over  the  numerous 
monasteries  of  Czernova. 

Still,  in  spite  of  absentee  regiments,  the  review  was  a 
fine  sight,  even  in  the  eyes  of  Paul,  accustomed  as  he  was 
to  much  more  striking  displays.  His  frequent  expres 
sions  of  admiration  gave  pleasure  to  Barbara,  who  had 
been  somewhat  dreading  his  criticism,  anticipating  that 
he,  as  a  tried  soldier,  might  disparage  the  merits  of  an 
army,  whose  mettle  had  never  yet  been  tested  in  actual 
battle. 

A  peculiar  and  significant  feature  of  the  scene  was  the 
proximity  of  the  Convent  of  the  Transfiguration,  which 
overlooked  the  place  of  the  review.  Barbara's  landau  was 
drawn  up  almost  within  the  shadow  of  its  gray  Gothic 
towers. 

The  weird  chant  of  the  monks,  that  dirge  which  had 
never  ceased  day  or  night  for  fifty  years,  was  clearly 

274 


The  Fate  of  the  Appropriation  Bill 

audible,  mingling  with  the  more  stirring  and  martial 
sounds  without,  and  contributing  to  impress  Paul  with 
the  curious  character  of  Czernovese  civilization. 

The  precincts  of  this  convent  were  patrolled  by  sen 
tinels  whom  the  Diet  had  sent  thither  to  prevent  any  re 
moval  of  monastic  treasures  on  the  part  of  ecclesiastics 
who  might  feel  tempted  to  evade  the  provisions  of  the 
pending  bill. 

With  bayonets  flashing  in  the  sunshine,  the  sentries 
paced  slowly  to  and  fro,  their  presence  grimly  reminding 
the  princess  that  there  was  a  greater  than  herself  in  Czer- 
nova,  to  wit,  the  Diet.  That  legislature,  regardless  of  her 
wish  in  the  matter,  might  that  very  night  pass  a  measure 
destined  to  disclose  the  secrets  of  a  conspiracy  of  which 
she  was  the  head. 

Nothing  had  occurred  during  the  course  of  the  week 
to  lead  to  the  opinion  that  the  Diet  would  change  their 
views  respecting  the  Appropriation  Bill ;  on  the  contrary, 
judging  from  the  tenor  of  the  debates,  it  seemed  probable 
that  the  majority  in  its  favor  would  be  increased  on  the 
third  and  final  reading. 

No  wonder  then,  that,  though  she  smiled  pleasantly 
upon  each  regiment  in  the  grand  march  past,  winning  all 
hearts  by  her  gracious  demeanor,  Barbara  nevertheless 
felt  a  terrible  depression  of  spirit  at  the  thought  of  the 
coming  night,  —  a  depression  which  all  Zabern's  assur 
ances  could  not  remove. 

The  review  being  over,  the  princess  and  her  suite  set 
off  for  Slavowitz.  Paul  and  Radzivil  sat  side  by  side  in 
the  same  landau  with  Barbara,  while  Zabern  rode  in  the 
rear  at  the  head  of  a  troop  of  horse. 

About  a  mile  from  the  scene  of  the  review  the  road  for 
a  considerable  distance  was  bordered  on  each  side  by 
thick  woods. 

As  the  carriage  rolled  on,  the  postilions  beheld  in  the 
distance  two  men  by  the  wayside  sitting  upon  the  trunk 

275 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

of  a  fallen  tree.  They  were  fellows  of  rough  appearance, 
seemingly  woodmen  or  charcoal-burners ;  one,  with  a 
black  beard,  was  holding  a  newspaper  in  his  hand  and 
apparently  reading  from  it,  while  his  companion,  a  red- 
bearded  individual,  seemed  to  be  listening. 

When  the  princess's  landau  was  a  few  yards  distant, 
these  two  men  sprang  to  their  feet  with  startling  quick 
ness,  and  then  it  was  seen  that  the  red-bearded  fellow  held 
a  revolver  in  his  hand.  Raising  the  weapon  he  pointed  it 
at  the  princess,  and  took  aim  so  quickly  that  the  postil 
ions  had  not  time  to  raise  a  warning  cry. 

Barbara,  though  her  face  was  set  in  the  direction  of  her 
would-be  assassin,  saw  nothing  of  his  action,  being  occu 
pied  at  the  time  in  an  animated  conversation  with  the 
premier. 

One  shot  whizzed  its  flight  clean  through  the  brim  of 
her  hat;  a  second  bullet  sang  past  her  temple  so  closely 
as  to  scorch  her  skin  with  its  fiery  glow. 

Then  as  if  overcome  by  sudden  terror  at  the  boldness  of 
their  deed,  or  possibly  fearful  lest  the  advancing  cavalry 
should  prevent  their  escape,  the  two  men  turned,  with 
out  waiting  to  see  whether  the  shots  had  taken  effect,  and 
plunged  into  the  woodland  bordering  the  roadside  just  as 
Zabern's  voice  was  heard  thundering  the  word,  "  Fire !  " 

A  dozen  carbines  rang  out  simultaneously,  but  the 
discharge  came  a  second  too  late. 

Paul  and  Radzivil,  sitting  with  back  to  the  horses, 
knew  nothing  of  what  was  passing,  till  informed  by  the 
report  of  the  firearms,  and  by  the  sudden  change  that 
came  over  Barbara's  face,  for  the  sight  of  two  men  run 
ning  away,  one  of  whom  carried  a  smoking  pistol,  ap 
prised  her  of  the  peril  she  had  escaped. 

"  Princess,  you  are  not  hurt?  "  cried  the  premier,  look 
ing  far  more  terrified  than  Barbara  herself. 

"  No,"  she  answered  in  a  faint  voice,  but  with  a  smile, 
"  they  have  missed  me." 

276 


The  Fate  of  the  Appropriation  Bill 

"  Thank  heaven !  "  said  Paul.  "  Count,  remain  with 
the  princess  while  I  give  chase  to  the  villains." 

The  startled  postilions  had  reined  in  their  horses, 
bringing  the  landau  to  a  standstill.  Paul  sprang  from  the 
vehicle  just  as  Zabern  with  the  guards  came  galloping  up, 
witnesses  of  the  deed  which  they  had  been  unable  to 
prevent. 

Perceiving  that  the  contiguity  of  the  trees  prevented 
the  passage  of  their  horses,  the  troopers  flung  themselves 
from  the  saddle,  and  dashed  after  Paul,  who  had  now  dis 
appeared  in  the  woodland.  Foremost  among  them  was 
Zabern  with  his  orderly  Nikita. 

Plunging  along  a  narrow  path  thick-set  on  each  side 
with  leafy  boscage,  Paul  caught  sight  of  the  two  retreat 
ing  figures  a  few  yards  only  in  front  of  him.  They  were 
running  in  single  file,  their  running  being  of  a  somewhat 
singular  character,  and  very  like  the  leaping  of  a  kan 
garoo,  the  cause  of  which  Paul  soon  divined. 

He  had  drawn  out  his  pistol,  and  while  still  forging 
ahead  he  took  aim  at  the  rearmost  figure,  but  the  shot 
flew  aloft  almost  perpendicularly,  for  in  the  very  act  of 
firing  he  stumbled  over  some  hidden  obstacle. 

Though  dazed  by  concussion  with  the  hard  earth  he 
was  instantly  on  his  feet  again,  observant  of  the  fact  that 
the  two  men  had  now  disappeared  round  a  bend  in  the 
path.  He  dashed  swiftly  onward,  but  had  scarcely  taken 
a  dozen  steps  when  he  was  once  more  brought  to  earth 
by  the  same  sort  of  contrivance  that  had  caused  his  pre 
vious  fall. 

The  desperadoes  had  taken  precautions  to  secure  their 
retreat.  Strong  wires  at  irregular  distances,  placed  at 
the  necessary  height,  and  concealed  by  the  profusion  of 
weeds  and  bracken,  had  been  drawn  transversely  across 
the  path  from  tree  to  tree.  The  contrivers  of  this  device, 
aware  of  the  exact  position  of  the  wires,  had  cleared  them 
by  a  series  of  leaps,  and  hence  their  kangaroo-like 
motions.  277 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

Those  following  Paul  were  tripped  up  in  similar  manner 
by  the  wires  which,  spread  over  a  distance  of  about  a  hun 
dred  yards,  retarded  the  pursuit,  and  enabled  the  fugi 
tives  to  obtain  a  good  start. 

At  a  point  a  little  way  beyond  the  last  wire  the  path 
branched  off  in  three  directions  through  the  wood,  and  a 
momentary  halt  took  place  on  the  part  of  the  pursuers, 
doubtful  as  to  which  track  they  should  take,  since  the 
fugitives  themselves  were  lost  to  view. 

The  quick  eye  of  Zabern  detected  a  bright-colored 
object  lying  a  few  feet  away  down  the  left-hand  path.  It 
proved  to  be  a  red  cap,  decorated  with  a  paltry  leaden 
medal  of  the  Czar,  a  cap  declared  by  Nikita  to  have  been 
worn  by  the  black-bearded  individual. 

"  Then,  forward,"  cried  Zabern,  taking  the  lead. 
"  They  have  fled  this  way." 

The  trio  set  off  again,  the  extreme  narrowness  of  the 
path  compelling  them  to  run  in  single  file.  The  ground, 
hard  at  first,  gradually  assumed  a  moist  and  muddy 
character.  Its  appearance  brought  Zabern  to  a  sudden 
stop. 

'*  There  are  no  foot-prints  here.  We  are  on  the  wrong 
track.  Back  again.  The  villains  must  have  flung  that 
cap  into  this  path  purposely  to  mislead  us." 

Chafing  at  their  loss  of  time,  they  ran  back  to  the  place 
where  the  tracks  diverged.  Other  troopers  had  come  up 
by  this  time,  and  while  Paul  and  Zabern  and  Xikita  took 
the  middle  track  others  hastened  along  the  right-hand 
path. 

"  They  may  not  have  followed  the  path  at  all,"  said 
Paul,  as  he  hurried  along  in  the  rear  of  Zabern.  "  They 
may  be  lying  hidden  in  the  wood." 

"  True ;  but  we  '11  post  through  first,  and  if  we  find  no 
trace  of  them  in  the  road  beyond,  I  '11  draw  a  cordon 
round  the  wood  through  which  they  shall  not  be  able  to 
break." 

278 


The  Fate  of  the  Appropriation  Bill 

"  Marshal,  did  you  see  the  face  of  him  who  fired  ?  " 
asked  Nikita. 

"  Not  clearly." 

"  Russakoff  the  spy,  or  may  I  turn  Muscovite." 

"  The  red-bearded  fellow  was  not  tall  enough  for 
Russakoff,"  answefed  Paul.  "  In  fact  both  men  struck 
me  as  being  remarkably  short  of  stature." 

"  My  eyes  have  not  erred." 

"  Have  it  so,  then,"  replied  Paul,  as  he  stumbled  on 
ward.  "  Let  us  but  lay  hands  upon  the  villains,  and  we 
shall  soon  ascertain  whether  you  be  right." 

A  run  of  a  few  minutes'  duration  brought  them  through 
the  wood  to  the  highway  beyond.  A  quick  glance  to  the 
right  threw  Zabern  into  a  paroxysm  of  rage. 

Far  off  on  the  white  dusty  road  which  stretched  on 
ward  in  a  straight  line,  till  it  seemed  to  touch  the  horizon, 
three  black  objects  were  visible,  each  moment  dwindling 
in  size. 

;'  The  villains  have  escaped  us,"  cried  Zabern.  '  They 
had  horses  tethered  here  with  a  third  man  to  watch  them. 
See !  here  are  their  hoof-marks  in  the  clay.  They  '11  be 
over  the  frontier  within  ten  minutes.  I  warrant  they  are 
well  provided  with  Russian  passports." 

The  trio  hurried  back  for  horses,  but,  by  the  time  they 
had  passed  them  through  the  wood,  the  pursuit  had  be 
come  a  jest. 

Night  had  fallen  over  Slavowitz. 

Excitement  was  prevailing  both  within  and  without  the 
Diet. 

Beneath  a  glorious  starlit  sky  in  the  great  Zapolyska 
Square,  which  fronted  the  broad  and  stately  flight  of  steps 
leading  up  to  the  entrance  of  the  Sobieskium  or  Diet- 
house,  now  ablaze  with  light,  was  a  vast  concourse  of 
people,  awaiting  the  stroke  of  twelve ;  for  at  midnight 
the  vote  was  to  be  taken  on  the  Secular  Appropriation  Bill 

279 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

—  a  measure  which  had  been  fiercely  debated  night  after 
night  during  the  course  of  five  weeks. 

Poles,  Muscovites,  and  Jews  formed  the  bulk  of  this 
throng,  but  there  was  a  considerable  sprinkling  of  other 
elements.  Tartars,  Cossacks,  Hungarians,  Roumanians, 
Servians  —  representatives  of  all  the  motley  nationalities 
of  Eastern  Europe,  elbowed  and  jostled  each  other,  talk 
ing,  singing  and  cursing  in  a  very  Babel  of  tongues. 

Diverse,  however,  as  was  the  crowd,  it  fell  politically 
into  two  sharp  divisions,  the  one  eager  for  the  passing 
of  the  bill,  the  other  eager  for  its  defeat.  There  was  no 
neutral  party  in  that  square. 

So  high  did  the  spirit  of  faction  run  that  Zabern's  lan 
dau  on  its  appearance  was  overturned  by  a  body  of  mal 
evolent  Muscovites,  and  the  marshal  was  compelled  to 
lay  about  him  with  his  sabre  till  the  military  came  to  his 
rescue. 

The  indignant  Poles  retaliated  a  few  minutes  later  by 
making  an  onset  upon  Lipski,  and  that  deputy  escaped 
only  after  a  severe  mauling. 

The  game  once  begun  was  continued  by  both  factions, 
so  that  it  became  almost  impossible  for  the  succeeding 
deputies  to  reach  the  Sobieskium,  except  under  police  or 
military  escort,  or  unless  attended  by  a  strong  circle  of 
their  own  adherents. 

Cheers  were  given  by  the  hostile  sections  as  their  re 
spective  favorites  were  seen  safely  mounting  the  steps  of 
the  Diet-house  beneath  the  brilliant  light  of  the  suspended 
lamps ;  the  singing  of  the  Polish  and  the  Russian  An 
thems  went  on  simultaneously  all  over  the  square ;  there 
were  ugly  rushes,  displays  of  fisticuffs,  scenes  of  wild 
disorder,  that  continued  to  deepen  as  the  night  advanced 
and  the  throng  increased. 

Dorislas,  who  commanded  the  mounted  cuirassiers 
drawn  up  four  deep  all  round  the  Sobieskium,  was  obliged 
to  accord  the  crowd  considerable  license,  lest  a  too  fre- 

280 


The  Fate  of  the  Appropriation  Bill 

quent  interference  on  the  part  of  the  military  should  lead 
to  worse  mischief. 

The  tumult  and  din  that  rilled  the  Zapolyska  Square 
penetrated  the  Sobieskium  to  the  distant  chamber  where 
the  Sejm  or  Diet  sat,  the  Ministerialists  or  Poles  to  the 
right,  the  Opposition  or  Muscovites  to  the  left  of  the  dais, 
where  was  the  chair,  table,  and  bell  of  the  President  Bru- 
nowski,  he  who  had  been  one  of  Paul's  opponents  in  the 
sallc  d'armes. 

The  presidential  bell  was  in  constant  requisition  on  this 
particular  night,  for  the  debate  had  taken  an  extremely 
acrimonious  turn.  The  temper  of  many  of  the  deputies 
had  not  been  sweetened  by  the  treatment  they  had  re 
ceived  at  the  hands  of  the  populace. 

Lipski  boldly  accused  the  ministers  of  hiring  ruffians 
whose  orders  were  to  stop  certain  members  of  the  Oppo 
sition  from  reaching  the  Diet-house  and  thus  to  prevent 
them  from  recording  their  votes. 

Zabern,  pointing  to  his  own  frayed  uniform  and  to  the 
ugly  scratches  on  his  face,  replied  that  though  it  would  be 
easy  to  retort  with  a  "  Tu  qnoque "  he  would  refrain ; 
that  the  charge  was  absurd,  for  the  mob  had  bestowed 
their  favors  impartially  upon  both  sides  of  the  House. 

The  Duke  of  Bora  sat  in  the  chamber,  for  though  no 
longer  of  cabinet  rank  he  was  still  a  member  of  the  Diet, 
and  he  gave  clear  indication  of  the  way  in  which  he  in 
tended  to  vote  by  vacating  his  usual  seat  and  taking  a 
place  next  Lipski  himself. 

Lesko  Lipski,  deputy  for  Russograd,  editor  of  the 
"  Kolokol,"  an  anti-dynastic  newspaper,  leader  of  the 
Opposition,  and  author  of  the  Secular  Appropriation  Bill, 
was,  as  regards  appearance,  the  very  antithesis  of  the 
typical  Russ.  He  was  slim  and  beardless,  and  dressed  in 
the  latest  Parisian  fashion,  though  his  costume  at  that  mo 
ment,  owing  to  the  playfulness  of  the  mob  without,  was 
not  quite  the  same  as  when  it  had  first  left  the  tailor's 

281 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

hands.  He  had  black  beady  eyes,  and  his  habit  of  con 
stantly  questioning  ministers  upon  every  topic  under  the 
sun  seemed  to  have  permanently  impressed  his  face  with 
an  eager,  hungry  look. 

There  was  in  the  air  of  the  chamber  that  nervous  feeling 
of  expectancy  which  always  arises  when  the  issue  of  a 
contest  is  problematical.  On  the  previous  evening  every 
member  of  the  Diet,  Pole  and  Muscovite  alike,  had  de 
parted  with  full  conviction  that  the  Appropriation  Bill 
would  pass. 

The  attempted  assassination  of  the  princess  had  given 
a  different  turn  to  the  matter  by  creating  a  feeling  of  sym 
pathy  for  her,  a  feeling  which  was  likewise  extended  to 
her  political  views.  To  secure  the  triumph  of  a  measure 
known  to  be  hateful  to  the  young  princess  in  the  first 
hours  of  her  joy  at  escaping  the  assassin's  bullet  seemed 
an  unchivalrous  proceeding ;  and  those  of  the  Poles  who 
had  hitherto  regarded  the  bill  with  favor  now  began  to 
reconsider  their  attitude. 

The  attempt  on  the  princess's  life,  deplorable  from  one 
standpoint,  was  from  another  decidedly  advantageous, 
and  the  ministry  were  hopeful  that  they  would  capture 
from  the  Opposition  the  minimum  six  votes  necessary  to 
secure  the  rejection  of  Lipski's  measure. 

Half-an-hour  before  midnight  Zabern  rose  to  wind 
up  the  debate  for  the  ministerial  side. 

His  rising  was  the  signal  for  a  hostile  ebullition  from 
the  Muscovite  members  who  dreaded  Zabern 's  oratory. 
Not  that  the  marshal  was  particularly  eloquent ;  far  from 
it.  He  had  all  a  soldier's  contempt  for  speech-making 
and  for  the  "  men  of  words,"  as  he  was  wont  to  term  the 
Czernovese  deputies ;  a  military  dictatorship  was  more 
to  his  liking  than  a  democratic  legislature.  Hence  his 
voice  was  rarely  heard  in  the  chamber,  but  when  he  did 
speak  it  was  always  to  the  point,  and  his  plain,  blunt  way 
of  putting  matters  had  often  decided  wavering  voters, 

282 


The  Fate  of  the  Appropriation  Bill 

and  at  that  moment  there  were  a  good  many  wavering 
voters. 

At  first  Zabern  was  unable  to  obtain  a  hearing.  Every 
time  he  attempted  to  speak,  his  words  were  drowned  in 
a  terrible  din,  occasioned  by  the  clamor  of  voices,  the 
stamping  of  feet,  and  the  banging  of  desk-lids.  Though 
the  Duke  of  Bora  did  not  join  in  yet,  as  he  made  no  at 
tempt  to  check  the  tumult,  Zabern  strongly  suspected  him 
of  being  its  secret  instigator. 

For  fully  two  minutes  President  Brunowski  continued 
to  swing  his  bell,  but  without  producing  any  effect  upon 
the  Opposition,  whose  intention  was  plainly  to  continue 
the  uproar  till  midnight,  in  order  to  prevent  Zabern  from 
addressing  the  assembly. 

Brunowski  whispered  a  few  words  in  the  ear  of  an 
attendant,  who  left  the  chamber  and  returned  almost  im 
mediately  with  a  file  of  gendarmes.  In  the  sudden  still 
ness  that  followed  upon  their  entrance,  Brunowski  sternly 
announced  his  intention  of  suspending  both  from  the 
sitting  and  from  the  voting  all  future  disturbers  of  order, 
a  threat  which  effectually  silenced  the  Muscovite  clamor- 
ers,  who  felt  that  in  the  present  conjuncture  they  could 
not  afford  to  lose  a  single  vote. 

The  marshal,  being  free  to  speak,  began  by  affirming 
the  obligation  imposed  upon  him  of  making  some  com 
ment  upon  the  recent  attempt  to  assassinate  the  princess. 

At  this  statement  Lipski  rose. 

"  Mr.  President,  I  must  protest.  The  marshal  is  not  in 
order.  He  is  evading  the  subject  of  the  debate,  which  is 
the  Secular  Appropriation  Bill." 

:'  The  marshal  will  doubtless  show  the  relevancy  of  his 
remarks  to  the  matter  under  discussion,"  returned  Bru 
nowski.  As  President  of  the  assembly  he  tried  to  be  im 
partial,  but  he  could  not  always  forget  that  he  was  a 
Pole. 

"  The   House   will   understand   presently,"    continued 
283 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

Zabern,  "  why  the  honorable  deputy  wishes  the  name  of 
the  princess  to  be  kept  out  of  the  question.  Who  is  re 
sponsible  for  this  day's  outrage  ?  Not  the  wretched  dupe, 
who,  happily  for  Czernova,  missed  his  mark.  No!  as 
well  blame  the  bullet,  or  punish  the  pistol.  Sir,"  contin 
ued  Zabern,  addressing  the  President,  "  the  real  authors 
of  the  act  are  the  persons  who  by  their  words  and  writings 
have  labored  to  create  in  Czernova  a  spirit  of  hostility  to 
its  legitimate  ruler.  And  of  those  persons,"  thundered 
the  marshal,  looking  round  upon  the  assembly,  "  the 
deputy  for  Russograd  is  the  chief." 

Lipski  was  on  his  feet  again  in  an  instant. 

"  Mr.  President,  must  I  sit  and  hear  assassination  im 
puted  to  me  without  raising  my  voice  in  protest?" 

"  Certainly  not.  The  marshal  must  withdraw  the 
charge,  or  prove  it." 

"  The  proof  is  forthcoming.  The  two  miserable 
wretches  who  fired  at  the  princess  were  seen  before  the 
deed  seated  at  the  wayside,  and  strengthening  their 
wicked  determination  by  reading  from  a  certain  news 
paper.  I  already  see  the  editor  of  that  journal  begin 
ning  to  look  uneasy,  for  the  name  of  the  journal  is  the 
'  Kolokol/  and  its  editor  is  one  Lesko  Lipski.  The 
would-be  assassins  were  diligent  students  of  the  '  Kolo 
kol  ; '  they  evidently  regarded  its  editor  as  a  great  polit 
ical  teacher." 

"  How  do  you  know  ?  "  inquired  the  voice  of  the  duke. 

"  Well,  I  judge  from  this  circumstance,"  answered  Za 
bern,  producing  a  dirty  copy  of  the  "  Kolokol "  and  un 
folding  it.  "  Here  is  the  identical  paper  dropped  by  the 
two  men  in  their  flight.  It  contains  an  article  entitled, 
'  Harmodius  the  Patriot ; '  and  on  the  margin  of  this 
article  pencil-notes  have  been  scrawled,  such  as  '  Good ! ' 
'  True !  '  '  This  seems  reasonable,'  and  the  like ;  nay, 
more,  we  have  here  in  badly  spelled  Russian  this  senti 
ment  :  '  Death  to  the  girl-tyrant ! ' ; 

284 


The  Fate  of  the  Appropriation  Bill 

At  this  point  Zabern  held  up  the  journal  for  the  in 
spection  of  the  assembly. 

"  Now  I  need  scarcely  remind  the  House  that  Harmo- 
dius  was  a  man  of  ancient  days,  who  assassinated  the 
ruler  of  Athens,  and  was  in  consequence  honored  as  a 
splendid  patriot  by  his  fellow-citizens.  Why  does  the 
editor  of  a  journal,  supposedly  devoted  to  current  politics 
and  affairs  of  to-day,  publish  an  article  on  an  event  that 
happened  twenty-three  centuries  ago?  Simply  because 
he  wishes  to  inculcate  the  doctrine,  that,  as  it  was  a  fine 
piece  of  patriotism  to  assassinate  the  ruler  of  ancient 
Athens,  so  would  it  be  an  equally  fine  piece  of  patriotism 
to  assassinate  the  ruler  of  modern  Czernova." 

"  I  deny  the  inference  that  you  draw  from  that  article," 
cried  Lipski. 

"  Two  at  least  of  your  readers  understand  what  you 
mean,  and  have  acted  upon  your  hints.  Now,  on  seeing 
practical  effect  given  to  your  teaching,  you  would  cra- 
venly  shirk  the  responsibility  for  your  part  in  this  out 
rage.  Be  honest ;  do  not  run  away  from  your  own  words. 
Perhaps  the  House  will  bear  with  me  while  I  read  a  few 
sentences  from  this  '  Killing  No  Murder  '  essay." 

"  You  must  read  the  whole  of  it,  or  none,"  said  Bru- 
nowski,  "  inasmuch  as  one  passage  may  be  modified  by 
another." 

Zabern  adopted  the  President's  first  alternative,  and 
read  the  entire  article,  which,  although  written  in  guarded 
language,  with  a  view  of  preserving  its  author  from  the 
possibilities  of  legal  indictment,  was  obviously  a  plea  for 
the  assassination  of  rulers  who  have  become  obnoxious  to 
their  subjects. 

At  the  conclusion  of  the  marshal's  reading,  there  was  a 
storm  of  hisses  from  the  Right.  The  Left  sat  in  sullen 
silence. 

"  It  is  known  to  all  that  on  coming  to  the  throne  the 
princess,  with  one  stroke  of  her  pen,  abolished  the  censor- 

285 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

ship  of  the  press.  And  this,"  continued  Zabern,  pointing 
to  the  criminatory  article  in  the  "  Kolokol,"  •  "  this  is 
how  the  privilege  has  been  requited !  Such,  gentlemen  of 
the  Diet,  such  are  the  sentiments  —  such  is  the  character 
of  the  deputy  for  Russograd !  And  yet  this  teacher  of 
assassination  has  the  effrontery  to  come  forward  and 
solicit  the  votes  of  the  Poles  —  the  Poles,  who,  whatever 
may  be  their  faults,  are  at  least  men  of  honor,  and  loyal 
to  their  princess.  Vote  for  this  bill?  Not  if  it  were 
the  finest  piece  of  legislation  ever  devised  by  the  wit  of 
statesmen.  Those  who  can  may  separate  the  man  from 
his  bill ;  for  my  part,  the  two  are  identical.  Every  suf 
frage  cast  on  the  side  of  Lipski,  every  vote  given  in  favor 
of  this  bill,  is  a  vote  in  favor  of  assassination." 

"  No,  no,"  cried  the  Left.     "  \Ye  are  not  assassins." 

"  That  statement  shall  be  proved  by  your  votes.  Let 
those  who  repudiate  the  work  of  the  assassin,  let  those 
who  rejoice  at  the  escape  of  the  princess  from  death,  show 
their  sympathy  by  rejecting  a  bill  which  is  hurtful  to  the 
best  feelings  of  the  princess." 

And  now  ensued  a  dramatic  tableau  pre-arranged  by 
the  wily  Zabern.  A  small  door  opened  upon  the  right  of 
the  presidential  chair,  and  Barbara  herself  entered  the  hall 
of  debate,  to  the  utter  confounding  of  the  deputies,  whose 
first  thought  was  that  she  had  come  to  dissolve  the  Diet. 

Brunowski  immediately  vacated  his  chair  in  favor  of 
the  princess,  who  took  her  place  on  the  dais,  but  remained 
standing.  Her  mien,  graceful  and  bright,  offered  a  pleas 
ing  contrast  to  that  of  the  angry  debaters.  Even  the  Mus 
covites  were  forced  to  admit  that  if  beauty  of  person 
should  entitle  one  to  a  crown,  their  princess  would  have 
carried  off  all  the  diadems  of  Europe. 

The  silence  that  came  over  the  chamber  caused  the  din 
of  voices  in  the  square  to  be  much  more  plainly  heard. 
The  tumultuous  sounds  without  lent  additional  excitement 
to  the  scene  within. 

286 


The  Fate  of  the  Appropriation  Bill 

The  princess  glanced  slowly  around  the  assembly,  and 
then,  as  if  moved  by  a  sudden  idea,  she  removed  her  hat, 
—  the  same  hat  that  she  had  worn  on  her  return  from  the 
review.  In  the  act  of  taking  it  off  the  light  from  behind 
gleamed  through  a  hole  in  the  brim,  a  mute  appeal  to  the 
sympathy  of  the  House,  the  more  striking  because 
unintentional. 

"  Your  Highness,  do  not  uncover,"  cried  Brunowski. 

"  I  crave  your  pardon,  Mr.  President,"  replied  Bar 
bara,  and  her  utterance  sounded  like  a  clear  silvery  bell 
after  Brunowski's  magnificent  bass  voice,  "  but  I  under 
stand  that  the  usages  of  this  House  require  that  only  one 
person  shall  remain  covered." 

This  was  said  in  reference  to  Lipski,  who,  while  all  the 
rest  of  the  deputies  were  standing  uncovered,  sat  with  his 
hat  on  his  head. 

Zabern,  with  his  sabre  clinking  against  his  spurs,  strode 
across  the  floor  of  the  House. 

"  Fellow !  "  he  muttered,  grinding  his  teeth,  "  if  you  do 
not  remove  your  hat,  my  troopers  shall  nail  it  to  your 
pate." 

And  Lipski,  seeing  Zabern's  savage  demeanor,  pru 
dently  doffed  his  head-covering. 

"  Mr.  President,"  said  Radzivil,  "  I  move  that  the 
deputy  for  Russograd  be  suspended  from  this  sitting  for 
treating  the  person  of  the  princess  with  contempt." 

"  Oh,  no,  Count,"  observed  Barbara.  "  Let  it  not  be 
said  that  we  sought  to  deprive  a  deputy  of  his  vote." 

When  the  ringing  of  the  President's  bell  had  repressed 
the  cheers  evoked  by  this  remark,  Barbara  proceeded  to 
explain  the  reason  of  her  appearance. 

"  Mr.  President,  Ministers  and  Deputies,"  she  began, 
speaking  with  self-possession  and  dignity,  "  it  may  be 
said  that  the  princess  ought  not  to  intervene  in  the  affairs 
of  the  Diet,  but  should  remain  quiescent,  and  simply  reg 
ister  the  decrees  of  the  majority.  But,  sir,"  she  added, 

287  ' 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

with  a  graceful  inclination  of  her  head  towards  Bru- 
nowski,  "  your  princess  is  not  an  automaton,  but  a  human 
being  with  feelings  that  can  be  moved.  I  feel  strongly  on 
this  bill,  and  I  do  not  hesitate  to  say  so." 

She  paused  for  a  moment,  and  then  resumed, 

"  I  shall  always  act  with  regard  to  the  Constitution.  If 
this  bill  should  pass  I  shall  affix  my  signature." 

Cheers  arose  from  the  Left. 

"  But  I  trust  the  House  will  not  let  it  pass." 

Counter-cheers   arose   from   the  Right. 

"If  my  sentiments  can  in  any  way  influence  the  deci 
sion  of  deputies,  I  would  appeal  to  them,  irrespective  of 
party,  to  reject  this  measure." 

With  this  she  bowed  to  the  Diet,  and  withdrew  from 
the  chamber,  amid  enthusiastic  cries  of  "  Long  live  the 
Princess  of  Czernova !  " 

The  chivalry  of  the  Poles,  if  not  of  the  Muscovites, 
was  evoked.  The  assassin's  pistol-shot,  the  princess's 
personal  appeal,  had  produced  more  effect  than  all  the 
oratory  of  the  five  previous  weeks. 

As  soon  as  Brunowski  had  resumed  the  presidential 
chair,  Zabern  again  spoke. 

"  The  princess  has  made  it  a  personal  question  between 
herself  and  Lipski.  Well,  gentlemen,  you  have  seen  the 
princess,  and  —  you  see  Lipski,"  he  continued,  pointing 
to  that  deputy,  who  looked  far  from  amiable  at  that  mo 
ment.  "  Can  any  man  doubt,"  he  added,  with  fine  scorn, 
"  can  any  man  doubt  for  whom  he  shall  vote  ?  Let  it 
not  be  said  that  — 

Zabern  paused.  A  sound  louder  than  any  they  had  yet 
heard  penetrated  to  the  chamber.  A  mighty  roar  was 
rising  from  the  Zapolyska  Square.  Twenty  thousand 
voices  blending  into  one  proclaimed  that  the  time  had 
come  for  deciding  the  great  controversy.  The  iron  tongue 
of  the  cathedral-clock  was  booming  forth  the  hour  of 
midnight. 

288 


The  Fate  of  the  Appropriation  Bill 

"  The  vote  will  now  be  taken,"  cried  Brunowski,  amid 
a  scene  of  indescribable  excitement. 

"  I  move  that  it  be  taken  by  secret  ballot,"  exclaimed 
Zabern. 

"  I  oppose  it,"  said  the  Duke  of  Bora. 

The  President  put  the  question  to  the  assembly, 
and  the  proposal  for  secret  ballot  was  carried  by 
acclamation. 

Zabern  smiled  grimly  as  he  observed  the  secret  glances 
of  rage  interchanged  between  Bora  and  Lipski.  By  this 
manoeuvre  on  his  part  they  were  prevented  from  learning 
whether  those  Poles  who  had  secretly  taken  the  gold  of 
Orloff  would  vote  according  to  promise. 

In  the  Diet  of  Slavowitz,  when  voting  by  ballot,  each 
deputy  took  from  his  desk  one  of  a  set  of  discs.  These 
discs  were  of  two  colors,  white  for  affirmation,  black  for 
negation. 

Concealing  the  disc  between  the  fingers  and  the  palm — 
carrying  it  openly  was  forbidden  on  pain  of  forfeiture  of 
the  vote  —  each  deputy  walked  past  the  presidential  table, 
and  placing  his  hand  within  the  mouth  of  a  large  bronze 
urn,  dropped  the  disc. 

As  a  precaution  against  the  artifice  of  giving  more  than 
one  vote,  the  names  of  the  deputies  were  marked  on  the 
roll  as  each  person  passed  by,  and  the  number  of  counters 
checked  by  this  arrangement. 

In  prescribed  order  the  deputies  quitted  their  seats,  and 
filed  past  the  table,  and  for  a  few  moments  nothing  was 
heard  but  the  clink  of  the  metallic  discs  as  they  fell  within 
the  urn.  Brunowski  took  no  part  in  the  division,  but  had 
the  right  of  a  casting-vote. 

"  One  hundred  and  nineteen  members  have  voted," 
said  the  chief  clerk,  looking  up  from  the  register,  after 
the  last  suffrage  had  been  given. 

This  was  a  record  division,  being  the  largest  that  had 
ever  occurred  in  the  history  of  the  Czernovese  Diet. 
19  289 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

Every  deputy,  with  the  exception  of  Cardinal  Ravenna. 
was  present  and  had  voted. 

The  great  question  was  how  had  they  voted? 

Amid  a  hush  like  that  in  the  chamber  of  the  dying  when 
the  fatal  moment  has  come,  the  chief  clerk,  at  a  sign  from 
the  President,  slowly  inverted  the  urn,  and  poured  out  the 
discs  upon  the  red  table-cloth. 

In  their  excitement  the  deputies  rose  and  stood  upon 
seats  and  desks,  craning  their  necks  forward,  eager  to 
catch  the  first  glimpse  of  the  black  and  white  counters, 
eager  to  learn  which  of  the  two  was  the  prevailing  color. 

To  the  waiting  populace  in  the  Zapolyska  Square  the 
time  taken  in  recording  the  votes  and  in  counting  the 
same  seemed  unnecessarily  long. 

A  great  sensation  had  been  created  when  the  officials  of 
the  House  reported  to  those  near  the  doors  that  the  prin 
cess  herself  had  appeared  in  the  Diet  with  an  appeal  for 
the  rejection  of  the  bill.  The  story  gathered  in  detail  as 
it  passed  from  mouth  to  mouth,  and  men  on  the  outskirts 
of  the  crowd  told  how  the  princess  with  tears  in  her  eyes 
had  gone  down  on  her  knees  before  the  assembly,  and 
how  Zabern,  sabre  in  hand,  had  stalked  up  and  down  the 
chamber  threatening  to  cut  the  throats  of  all  who  would 
not  vote  against  the  bill. 

And  when  the  hour  of  midnight  began  to  toll,  and 
Dorislas  was  seen  to  fling  himself  from  his  charger,  and 
hurry  up  the  steps  of  the  Diet-house,  for  the  purpose  of 
recording  his  vote  within  the  chamber,  the  interest  grew 
to  fever-heat. 

Wild  work  had  been  going  on  in  the  square,  but  now 
the  knowledge  that  the  great  division  was  taking  place 
had  a  somewhat  quieting  effect  upon  the  crowd.  All 
eyes  were  turned  towards  the  grand  entrance,  brilliant 
with  light  that  streamed  far  out  into  the  darkness,  for 
from  this  entrance  the  result  was  to  be  proclaimed. 

290 


The  Fate  of  the  Appropriation  Bill 

Ten  minutes  after  midnight  there  was  a  movement  at 
the  head  of  the  stairs;  the  gendarmes  parted,  and  the 
white-haired  clerk  of  the  House  was  seen  holding  in  his 
hand  the  paper  inscribed  with  the  momentous  result. 
Dorislas  appeared  at  the  same  instant  and  mounted  his 
charger  in  readiness  for  the  riot  which  he  knew  to  be 
imminent. 

Standing  at  the  head  of  the  steps  the  clerk  raised  his 
hand,  and  at  that  signal  the  crowd,  which  but  a  moment 
before  had  been  surging  this  way  and  that,  became  in 
stantly  immobile.  The  square  was  a  sea  of  upturned 
faces,  each  gleaming  with  painful  curiosity.  Even  the 
cuirassiers  extended  along  the  front  wall  of  the  Diet- 
house  forgot  for  a  moment  their  discipline,  and  bent  side 
ways  in  the  saddle,  eager  to  hear  the  result.  The  stillness 
of  death  prevailed.  Not  a  movement.  Not  a  word.  Not 
a  breath. 

"  People  of  Czernova,"  said  the  clerk,  speaking  in  a 
voice  that  penetrated  to  every  portion  of  the  square,  "  in 
a  House  of  one  hundred  and  nineteen  members,  thirty- 
nine  have  voted  for  the  Secular  Appropriation  Bill,  and 
eighty  against  it.  The  measure  therefore  stands  rejected 
by  a  majority  of  forty-one." 

These  figures  seemed  to  show  that  the  voting  had  been 
conducted  strictly  on  party  lines.  The  Muscovite  mem 
bers  of  the  Diet  numbered  thirty-eight,  or,  with  the  addi 
tion  of  the  Duke  of  Bora,  thirty-nine.  The  tale  of  the 
Poles  was  eighty-one ;  the  vote  of  the  absent  Ravenna 
being  deducted,  the  majority  of  forty-one  was  thus  ac 
counted  for. 

The  publication  of  the  figures  was  followed  by  a  mo 
ment  of  bewildering  silence.  The  Poles  could  not  believe 
in  such  a  victory,  nor  the  Muscovites  in  such  a  defeat. 
Some  among  the  crowd,  supposing  that  the  clerk  had  made 
an  error  in  his  statement,  called-  upon  him  to  read  it  again. 

But  now  at  the  side  of  the  clerk  appeared  the  tall  figure 
291 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

of  Zabern,  waving-  his  helmet  and  greeting  his  adherents 
with   a   triumphant   smile. 

All  doubt  vanished.  Exultant  cries  of  "Slava!  slava!" 
burst  from  Polish  throats.  The  Muscovites  replied  by 
yells  of  execration.  The  two  factions  were  intermingled ; 
the  triumph  of  the  one  evoked  the  fury  of  the  other,  and 
in  a  moment  more  the  Zapolyska  Square  was  transformed 
to  pandemonium. 

"  Forward !  "  cried  Dorislas,  waving  his  sabre.  "  Clear 
the  square." 

And  loud  above  the  trampling  and  the  din  arose  a 
carillon  of  bells  from  the  cathedral  of  St.  Stanislas,  peal 
ing  forth  a  jubilation  over  the  victory  gained  by  the  Latin 
Church. 

Inside  the  House  the  excitement  was  equally  great. 
Pole  shook  hands  with  Pole,  for  it  was  felt  to  be  a  splen 
did  party  triumph.  The  Muscovite  members  stared  sul 
lenly  at  each  other,  Lipski  himself  looking  the  very  in 
carnation  of  malignity.  More  than  a  score  of  Polish 
deputies,  after  accepting  splendid  bribes,  had  betrayed 
him  by  voting  with  Zabern,  and  he  was  precluded  from 
making  their  duplicity  known  by  the  fact  that  the  pro 
curation  of  a  deputy's  vote  by  bribery  was  an  offence 
punishable  by  perpetual  exclusion  from  the  Diet. 

Both  parties  streamed  out  into  the  corridors  to  discuss 
the  event,  leaving  Brunowski  and  a  dozen  members  in  the 
chamber  to  pass  the  resolution :  "  That  the  military  be 
withdrawn  from  the  monasteries." 

In  a  small  apartment,  adjacent  to  the  hall  of  debate,  sat 
Barbara,  surrounded  by  her  radiant  ministers.  An  ardent 
politician,  she  was  in  her  element  on  such  nights  as  these. 

"  A  two-thirds  majority  of  the  House!"  she  murmured 
with  a  glow  on  her  cheek.  ;"  Thirty-nine  for  the  bill,  and 
eighty  against  it.  What  a  triumph !  " 

"Thank  heaven,  our  secret  is  safe!"  said  Radzivil. 
"  Kossuth  can  have  his  gold." 

292 


The  Fate  of  the  Appropriation  Bill 

"  Another  defeat  for  Russia !  "  grinned  Zabern.  "  How 
Orloff  will  regret  the  roubles  he  has  wasted !  " 

In  passing  along  one  of  the  corridors  Zabern  encoun 
tered  the  Duke  of  Bora. 

That  ex-minister,  long  a  traitor  at  heart,  and  a  secret 
sympathizer  with  the  aims  of  the  Opposition,  had  at  last 
cast  off  the  mask,  but  on  a  very  inopportune  occasion  as 
he  now  perceived.  Hoping  to  profit  by  the  anticipated  de 
feat  of  the  ministry,  and  the  consequent  confusion,  if  not 
fall,  of  the  princess,  he  had  crossed  to  the  opposite  side  of 
the  House,  and  he  had  seated  himself  cheek  by  jowl  with 
Lipski  and  his  colleagues,  only  to  see  them  suffer  a  most 
crushing  defeat.  His  mortification,  already  great,  was 
enhanced  by  Zabern's  caustic  smile. 

"  Ah,  dear  duke,  you  don't  seem  quite  so  cheerful  as 
you  did  last  week  on  the  Long  Terrace.  Payment  within 
one  hour  after  the  division,"  he  continued,  exhibiting  the 
duke's  written  pledge,  "was  not  that  our  agreement? 
May  I  trouble  your  grace,  then,  for  the  sum  of  ten  thou 
sand  roubles,  since  our  majority  has  exceeded  twenty? 
Ten  thousand  roubles  is  rather  a  large  amount,  but  you 
will  doubtless  recoup  yourself  from  Orloff s  Bribery 
Fund." 

If  looks  had  power  to  kill,  Zabern  would  certainly  have 
fallen  dead  beneath  Bora's  savage  glance.  Unable,  how 
ever,  to  evade  the  fulfilment  of  his  word,  the  duke  reluc 
tantly  wrote  out  a  check  for  the  required  amount. 

"  An  unforeseen  circumstance  has  enabled  you  to  win 
this  wager,"  he  said,  curtly. 

"  Yes,  it  was  a  very  fortunate  —  ah  !  —  circumstance 
for  us,"  drawled  Zabern,  as  he  walked  away  with  the 
check  in  his  pocket,  "  but  as  to  its  being  unforeseen !  —  " 
He  finished  the  sentence  with  a  short  laugh.  "  Duke  of 
Bora,  you  must  be  the  biggest  fool  in  Czernova  not  to  sus 
pect  the  game  I  've  played." 

Averse  to  the  noisy  demonstrations,  friendly  or  hostile, 
293 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

which  her  presence  in  the  crowded  streets  was  certain  to 
evoke,  Barbara  lingered  for  some  time  in  the  Diet-house, 
conversing  with  the  deputies  of  both  parties,  and  charm 
ing  even  the  rugged  hearts  of  the  Muscovites  by  her 
gracious  and  winsome  manner. 

When  the  streets  were  reported  quiet  she  drove  back  to 
the  Vistula  Palace,  accompanied  by  Zabern  and  Paul,  the 
latter  of  whom  from  a  side  gallery  had  watched  the  course 
of  the  debate. 

The  trio  retired  to  the  White  Saloon. 

"  That  pistol-shot  has  wrought  us  so  much  good, 
marshal,"  observed  Barbara,  "  that  I  feel  quite  capable 
of  forgiving  the  assassin." 

"  Then  your  Highness  shall  have  an  opportunity  of 
doing  so,"  replied  Zabern,  "  since  he,  or  rather  she,  is  in 
the  next  apartment." 

He  stamped  heavily  on  the  floor  thrice.  A  door  opened, 
and  there  entered  Katina  Ludovska  with  her  sister  Ju- 
liska,  not  now  garbed  in  male  attire,  as  when  awaiting 
the  princess's  landau  in  the  forest-road,  but  dressed  each 
in  her  own  pretty  Polish  costume. 

They  advanced  with  a  somewhat  timid  air  and  knelt, 
till  requested  by  the  wondering  princess  to  rise.  They 
were  not  strangers  to  her,  for  she  had  often  witnessed 
their  fencing  feats  in  the  salle  d'armes. 

"  This  lady,"  said  Zabern,  indicating  Katina,  "  craves 
pardon  for  shooting  at  the  princess,  without  obtaining 
her  Highness's  permission,  but  at  the  same  time  she  can 
plead  that  she  was  acting  under  the  command  of  Marshal 
Zabern." 

"  Explain,"  said  the  princess,  haughtily,  and  with  a 
flash  of  her  eyes  that  made  even  the  bold  Katina  quail. 

"  It  was  well  known  to  the  Diet,"  began  Zabern,  cool 
and  unabashed,  "  that  your  Highness  was  opposed  to  the 
Appropriation  Bill.  Six  votes  only  were  wanted  to  secure 
its  rejection. 

294 


The  Fate  of  the  Appropriation  Bill 

"  Now,  if  at  the  present  crisis  some  desperado  would 
only  oblige  us  by  seeking  to  kill  your  Highness,  the  at 
tempt  would  create  such  a  feeling  of  sympathy  among  the 
secessionist  members  of  our  party  that  not  only  would 
the  required  six  votes  be  captured,  but  many  more  in 
addition. 

"  I  therefore  resolved  that  such  outrage  should  take 
place.  But  the  deed  must  have  every  appearance  of  real 
ity.  Blank  cartridges  might  suggest  a  mock  attempt,  but 
real  bullets,  missing  your  Highness's  person  by  a  hair's- 
breadth  only,  would  disarm  all  suspicion. 

"  Accordingly,  I  made  overtures  to  the  finest  pistol- 
shot  in  Czernova,  Katina  Ludovska,  who  consented  to 
the  plan. 

"  Do  not  accuse  me  of  recklessly  hazarding  your  High- 
ness's  life,  since  I  was  fully  convinced  that  Katina's  hand 
would  not  fail,  for  Juliska  of  her  own  accord  gave  me 
striking  proof  of  her  sister's  unerring  marksmanship. 
She  bade  Katina  regard  her  as  the  princess,  and  while 
Katina  stood  revolver  in  hand  upon  the  steps  of  the  inn- 
door,  Juliska  rode  fearlessly  past  on  horseback  six  times 
in  succession ;  and  on  each  occasion  Katina  sent  one  shot 
through  the  brim  of  her  sister's  hat,  while  the  second 
whizzed  close  to  her  temple. 

'  This  experiment  convinced  me  of  Katina's  ability  to 
do  the  trick,  and  success  has  justified  my  opinion.  A  bold 
liberty  on  my  part,  your  Highness,  but  pardonable,  con 
sidering  the  object  I  had  in  view." 

Barbara's  first  emotion  of  breathless  amazement  was 
followed  by  a  sense  of  anger,  as  she  recalled  the  dreadful 
sensation  that  came  over  her  when  the  hot  bullet  whizzed 
past  her  face. 

"  Remember,"  pleaded  Zabern,  cognizant  of  Barbara's 
feelings,  "  remember  that  your  Highness  gave  me  carte 
blanche  to  do  whatsoever  I  pleased,  provided  that  I  could 
but  secure  the  rejection  of  the  Appropriation  Bill." 

295 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

This  was  true,  but  who  could  have  guessed  that  Zabern 
would  have  resorted  to  such  a  desperate  remedy? 

"  And  you  could  devise  no  other  plan  than  this  for 
defeating  the  bill  ?  " 

"  None,  though  I  racked  my  brain  for  a  week." 

Barbara's  anger  began  to  yield  to  a  mournful  feeling. 
It  was  her  belief  that  no  state  can  flourish  long  on  du 
plicity.  If  her  chief  minister  could  maintain  her  in  power 
only  by  resorting  to  trickery  such  as  this,  then,  indeed, 
the  day  of  her  fall  could  not  be  far  distant. 

"  It  is  past,"  she  murmured.  "  I  am  scathless,  and  the 
bill  is  rejected;  what  more  should  I  desire?  "  And  then, 
addressing  Katina  and  her  sister,  she  said,  "  You  played 
a  very  hazardous  game  as  well  with  your  own  lives  as 
with  mine.  Why,  marshal,  you  ordered  the  guards  to 
fire  upon  the  fugitives !  " 

"  Nikita  was  in  the  plot,  your  Highness,  and  had  taken 
the  precaution  to  serve  out  blank  cartridges  to  your  corps 
du  garde;  so  the  volley  was  a  harmless  one.  But  I  con 
fess  my  heart  was  in  my  mouth  when  I  saw  Captain 
Woodville  taking  aim  with  his  pistol.  Fortunately  he 
tripped  up  in  the  very  act  of  firing." 

"  I  little  thought  that  I  was  taking  aim  at  Mistress 
Katina,"  smiled  Paul,  "  and  grateful  am  I  that  she  did 
not  return  the  shot.  And  so  Nikita  was  in  the  plot? 
Why,  the  rogue  vowed  that  one  of  the  two  was  Rus- 
sakoff!" 

"  He  could  n't  resist  the  temptation  of  poking  a  little 
fun  at  you,"  replied  Zabern.  "Had  you  looked  round,  you 
would  have  seen  him  choking  with  suppressed  laughter." 

"  And  I  suppose,  marshal,  that  you  led  the  way  down 
the  path  where  the  red  cap  lay  — 

"  Purposely  to  give  Katina  and  Juliska  more  time  to 
escape." 

"  And  I  presume,  likewise,  that  it  was  your  hand  which 
annotated  the  copy  of  the  '  Kolokol '  newspaper?" 

296 


The  Fate  of  the  Appropriation  Bill 

"  Precisely.  Those  marginal  remarks  were  my  own 
invention." 

Paul  could  not  refrain  from  laughter  as  he  recalled  the 
fine  air  of  indignation  with  which  Zabern  had  pointed 
out  to  the  Diet  the  annotations  that  his  own  pencil  had 
made. 

"  Marshal,  you  lie  with  admirable  grace." 

"  I  have  lived  five  years  in  Russia,  you  see." 

"  But,  marshal,"  remonstrated  Barbara,  gravely,  "  you 
have  placed  me  in  a  false  position,  by  letting  me  pose  be 
fore  the  Diet  as  the  escaped  victim  of  an  assassination 
plot." 

"  A  splendid  way  of  catching  votes,"  returned  Zabern, 
coolly.  "  And  votes  were  what  we  wanted." 

"  And  you  have  endeavored  to  connect  Lipski  with  the 
deed.  Is  that  well  devised,  marshal  ?  " 

"  Perfectly,"  replied  the  unscrupulous  Zabern.  "  He 
has  in  his  paper  advocated  the  slaying  of  rulers;  he  is 
therefore  a  potential,  if  not  an  actual,  assassin.  I  have 
but  given  the  people  of  Czernova  a  practical  illustration 
of  his  teaching.  O  your  Highness,  let  me  show  that 
your  consideration  for  Lipski  is  somewhat  misplaced. 
You  are  doubtless  aware  that  to  his  editorship  of  the 
'  Kolokol '  he  also  adds  the  calling  of  gunsmith  and 
armorer,  and  a  very  convenient  calling  it  is  for  one  who 
is  ill-disposed  to  the  state." 

"  Be  plainer  with  me,  marshal." 

"  I  have  long  suspected  Lipski  of  treasonable  designs, 
and  therefore,  observing  a  few  days  ago  that  a  private 
house  contiguous  to  his  establishment  in  the  Boulevard 
de  Cracovie  was  to  be  let,  I  instructed  one  of  my  spies 
to  rent  and  occupy  the  said  house,  the  cellar  of  which 
adjoins  Lipski's.  Last  night  my  agent  and  I  cautiously 
removed  a  few  bricks  from  the  upper  part  of  the  inter 
vening  wall,  and  turned  the  light  of  a  lantern  through 
the  orifice  thus  made.  Your  Highness,  that  vault,  which 

297 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

is  a  lofty  and  spacious  one,  contains  more  rifles  than 
Lipski  will  ever  be  able  to  sell,  even  if  he  should  live  to 
be  a  centenarian.  They  lie  stacked  up  from  floor  to  ceil 
ing.  I  probably  do  not  overshoot  the  mark  when  I  say 
that  there  cannot  be  less  than  ten  thousand.  The  law 
does  not  permit  any  citizen,  even  a  gunsmith,  to  possess 
one-twentieth  of  that  number." 

"  This  is  a  grave  matter,"  said  Barbara.  "  Those  arms 
must  be  seized." 

"  Certainly,  your  Highness ;  for  while  it  is  right  for 
us  to  store  up  arms  against  the  Czar,  it 's  a  monstrous 
thing  that  the  Czar's  hirelings  should  be  permitted  to  pile 
up  arms  against  ourselves.  Never  let  others  do  to  you 
as  you  would  do  to  them." 

"  You  have  a  cynical  way  of  putting  things,  marshal." 

"  These  arms  are  designed  for  the  denizens  of  Russo- 
grad.  As  they  are  much  too  poor  to  purchase  their  own 
rifles,  there  is  to  be  a  free  distribution  —  probably  on  the 
night  of  the  I4th  of  September." 

"  The  eve  of  my  coronation,"  said  Barbara,  startled  by 
this  announcement. 

'  The  same.  My  spies  report  that  there  are  whispers 
among  the  Muscovites  of  an  armed  rising  to  take  place 
on  the  coronation  day.  In  fact,  they  propose  to  hold  a 
rival  coronation  in  the  Greek  basilica.  You  can  guess, 
princess,  who  is  to  play  the  central  figure  in  this  unau 
thorized  ceremony." 

"  A  ceremony  that  shall  never  take  place,"  said  Bar 
bara,  with  a  flash  of  her  eyes. 

"  True.  We  '11  foil  them.  With  your  sanction,  prin 
cess,  I  '11  make  no  movement  at  present  in  this  matter. 
The  longer  we  delay  Lipski's  arrest  the  more  the  plot 
will  develop,  the  wider  will  be  the  sweep  of  our  net  when 
the  cast  is  made,  and  the  more  fishes  shall  we  enclose. 
Meantime,  rest  assured  that  my  spy  will  keep  a  careful 
eye  upon  that  secret  store  of  arms." 

298 


The  Fate  of  the  Appropriation  Bill 

"  Be  it  so,  marshal.  We  leave  the  matter  to  your 
wisdom." 

"  And  your  Highness  pardons  that  little  affair  of  the 
shooting  ?  " 

The  princess  with  a  smile  extended  her  hand  for  Za- 
bern  to  kiss. 

"  Without  your  constant  vigilance,  marshal,  the  prin 
cess  were  nothing." 


299 


CHAPTER  XIV 

NEARING   A    CRISIS 

A  FEW  nights  after  the  defeat  of  the  Appropriation 
Bill,  Paul  Woodville  at  a  late  hour  strolled  forth 
into  the  gardens  of  the  Vistula  Palace,  with  no 
design  of  meeting  Barbara,  but  drawn  thither  chiefly  by 
the  extreme  beauty  of  the  moonlight. 

He  sat  down  in  solitude  by  the  margin  of  a  tree-girt 
lake,  watching  in  an  abstracted  manner  the  silvery  path 
of  light  on  its  surface,  and  musing  over  the  strangely 
romantic  turn  his  life  had  taken. 

A  sudden  rustling  among  the  foliage  put  an  end  to  his 
reverie,  and  on  turning  he  found  Barbara  by  his  side. 

She  was  excited,  if  not  angry.  There  was  a  defiant  ex 
pression  upon  her  face,  and  a  lovely  color  burned  on  her 
cheek.  She  was  habited  as  if  for  a  journey,  for  her 
figure  was  concealed  by  a  cloak  with  the  hood  drawn 
around  her  head.  Her  appearance  reminded  Paul  of 
their  first  meeting  in  the  Illyrian  forest ;  and,  as  if  re 
sponsive  to  his  thoughts,  Barbara's  first  words  recalled 
that  time. 

"  Paul,  do  you  remember  those  happy  days  in  Dal- 
matia?  Come  and  let  us  renew  them." 

"  I  am  not  quite  sure  that  I  understand." 

"  Let  us  leave  Czernova  this  night  —  this  hour  —  now. 
Take  me  with  you." 

For  a  moment  Paul  doubted  whether  he  could  have 
heard  aright.  Then  recovering  from  his  surprise,  he 
asked,  — 

300 


Nearing  a  Crisis 

"  What  has  happened  to  make  you  take  this  wild 
resolution?  " 

"  There  is  no  other  course  left  us  if  we  are  to  be  united. 
Listen !  " 

She  proceeded  to  explain  the  cause  of  her  agitation. 

It  appeared  that  at  a  cabinet  council  held  earlier  in  the 
evening  Barbara  had  announced  what  had  for  some  time 
been  suspected,  namely,  that  the  projected  match  between 
herself  and  the  duke  had  been  dissolved  by  mutual  con 
sent.  Thereupon  the  Greek  Archpastor,  Mosco,  whom 
Barbara  suspected  of  acting  as  the  mouthpiece  of  the 
duke,  rose  and  boldly,  yet  respectfully,  asked  the  princess 
to  define  her  attitude  towards  her  secretary,  Captain 
Woodville ;  he  invited  her  to  contradict  the  growing 
rumors  as  to  the  relationship  existing  between  herself 
and  the  Englishman. 

Perceiving  that  other  members  of  the  cabinet  were  in 
sympathy  with  Mosco's  questioning,  Barbara  put  aside 
her  first  impulse,  which  was  haughtily  to  ignore  the 
subject,  and  gave  answer  that  it  was  her  firm  re 
solve  to  make  Captain  Woodville  the  Prince-consort  of 
Czernova. 

The  council  were  united  in  maintaining  that  this  could 
not  be. 

"  Zabern  among  the  number?  "  asked  Paul. 

"  Zabern  spoke  not  a  word  —  sure  sign  that  he  is  on 
your  side.  He  deems  it  prudent  to  sacrifice  his  private 
opinion  to  the  will  of  the  rest ;  otherwise  Radzivil  would 
call  upon  him  to  resign,  and  Zabern  believes  that  he  can 
do  me  more  good  in  the  cabinet  than  out  of  it.  They  have 
insisted  upon  your  immediate  withdrawal  from  Czernova. 
I  pledged  my  word  that  you  should  depart  this  very 
night ;  but,  Paul,"  she  continued,  with  a  laugh  that  had 
something  of  hysteria  in  it,  "  I  did  not  tell  them  that  it 
was  my  intention  to  accompany  you.  I  will  never  give 
you  up,  Paul,  never.  You  are  dearer  to  me  than  crown 

301 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

or  life.  Come,  we  will  go  away  together,  and  leave  Czer- 
nova  to  its  own  devices." 

Such  was  the  invitation  addressed  to  Paul  by  Barbara, 
whose  arms  were  encircling  his  neck  as  with  a  garland ; 
her  lovely  face  was  close  to  his;  her  dark  eyes  radiant 
with  love  were  looking  into  his  own.  Now  at  last  she 
seemed  to  belong  to  him. 

Paul,  as  previously  related,  had  by  the  death  of  a  rela 
tive  become  the  possessor  of  an  ample  fortune.  How 
delightful,  then,  to  while  away  the  hours  on  the  sunny 
shores  of  the  Riviera  with  Barbara  for  his  bride !  What 
admiration  her  beauty  would  elicit  from  all  who  saw 
her!  What  a  halo  of  romance  would  surround  her  per 
sonality!  The  princess  who  resigned  a  throne  for  love, 
who  preferred  an  untitled  Englishman  to  an  imperially 
connected  archduke !  He  would  be  the  most  envied  man 
in  Europe.  It  was  a  splendid  temptation,  but  he  rose 
superior  to  it. 

"  If  you  have  pledged  your  word  for  my  withdrawal, 
I  must  go  —  and  alone,"  he  added. 

"  You  shall  not  go  to  please  them,"  she  cried  pas- 
sionately. 

"  Then  I  will  go  to  please  myself." 

"  Without  me  ?  Do  you  mean  that  —  that  we  must 
part  forever?  " 

The  anguish  of  her  voice  went  to  Paul's  heart.  The 
stately  princess  that  had  confronted  the  Diet  was  gone, 
and  in  her  place  was  a  clinging,  trembling  maiden  with 
eyes  full  of  tears. 

"  Sweetest  Barbara,  doubt  whatever  else  you  will,  but 
do  not  doubt  my  love.  It  behoves  us  to  part  at  least  for 
a  time.  I  go,  but  you  must  remain.  Remember,  that, 
as  a  princess,  you  are  not  your  own  but  your  people's. 
If  you  desert  Czernova  you  give  to  the  duke  the  crown 
for  which  he  is  basely  plotting.  Do  not  let  that  traitor 
succeed.  Do  not  hand  over  your  loyal  Poles  to  the 

302 


Nearing  a  Crisis 

tyranny  of  Bora.  Abdication  on  your  part  will  mean  the 
final  triumph  of  Russia." 

"  And  that  triumph  is  not  far  distant,"  replied  Bar 
bara  bitterly.  "  We  have  received  intelligence  to-day 
from  our  ambassadors  at  Berlin  and  Vienna  that  Prus 
sia  and  Austria  have  jointly  agreed  to  withdraw  from 
the  responsibility  of  upholding  the  integrity  of  Czernova, 
leaving  the  onus  of  this  political  duty  to  Russia.  We 
know  what  this  means.  In  plain  language  Kaiser  and 
King  will  permit  the  Czar  to  exercise  a  free  hand  in  the 
principality.  The  long-threatened  annexation  is  at  hand." 

'  Then  it  is  time  for  me  to  be  going." 

"  In  my  hour  of  peril  ?  " 

"  I  go  to  save  you  from  this  peril,  to  deliver  you  from 
the  ever-threatening  shadow  of  the  Czar.  I  have  a  scheme 
in  mind,  —  a  scheme  so  daring  that  it  seems  madness  to 
attempt  it;  and  yet  better  to  dare  and  fail  than  not  to 
dare  at  all.  My  plan,  if  it  succeeds,  will  make  Czernova 
so  strong  that  it  will  no  longer  fear  the  arms  of  Russia. 
And  then,"  added  Paul  hopefully,  "  and  then  it  may  be 
that  in  return  for  such  service  your  ministry  will  regard 
me  with  more  favorable  eyes." 

Love  is  proverbially  blind,  and  therefore  it  will  not 
seem  matter  for  wonder  that  the  princess  in  her  passion 
ate  attachment  to  Paul  should  place  more  reliance 
upon  his  promise  than  upon  the  united  wisdom  of  her 
cabinet.  But  what  his  plan  was  she  could  not  learn ; 
to  all  her  questions  he  smiled  pleasantly  and  mysteri 
ously  ;  the  sooner  he  set  off  the  sooner  would  come  its 
realization. 

But  each  time  he  turned  to  depart  Barbara  pleaded  so 
sweetly  for  delay  that  he  was  forced  to  stay  a  few  minutes 
longer ;  and  they  continued  to  sit  in  the  moonlight,  Paul 
radiant  with  the  hope  of  coming  success,  Barbara  puz 
zled,  yet  confident  in  his  ability  to  fulfil  his  word.  They 
were  a  long  time  in  parting,  and  often  after  saying  what 

303 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

they  intended  as  their  final  farewell  they  turned  again 
to  repeat  it. 

Paul  at  length  tore  himself  away,  and  had  not  pro 
ceeded  very  far  when  he  was  met  by  Marshal  Zabern. 

"  You  are  leaving  Czernova  ?  " 

"  Since  the  cabinet  decrees  it." 

"  But  you  must  return." 

"When?" 

"  On  the  eve  of  the  princess's  coronation." 

"  Why  on  that  day  ?  " 

Zabern  bent  his  head  and  whispered.  The  communi 
cation  was  such  as  to  cause  Paul's  eyes  to  sparkle  and  his 
hand  to  seek  the  hilt  of  his  sabre. 

"  Is  that  the  plan  of  the  duke,  then?" 

"  Such  is  my  belief.  And  you  alone,  Captain  Wood- 
ville,  can  defeat  it.  You  will  be  there?" 

"  Can  you  doubt  it?    If  I  be  living." 

"Good!  You  will  have  the  laugh  of  these  fools," 
returned  Zabern,  referring  to  his  colleagues  in  the  min 
istry.  "  They  will  not  deny  you  the  hand  of  the  princess 
then." 

And  Paul  and  Zabern  parted  on  an  understanding  emi 
nently  satisfactory  to  both. 

On  the  following  day  the  ministry  learned  with  relief 
that  Captain  Woodville  had  quitted  Czernova,  though 
none  knew,  not  even  Barbara,  whither  he  had  betaken 
himself. 

The  coronation  ceremony  was  now  but  two  months 
distant,  and  Zabern  ventured  to  remind  the  princess  that 
some  of  its  most  important  details  still  awaited  settlement. 

"  The  great  question  is  who  shall  have  the  high  honor 
of  crowning  your  Highness  ?  " 

"  Abbot  Faustus,  for  he  is  a  good  man,"  replied  Bar 
bara  ;  and,  noting  Zabern's  look  of  surprise,  she  added, 
"  He,  and  none  other.  The  cabinet  have  had  their  way 
in  the  matter  of  Captain  Woodville ;  I  will  have  my  way 

304 


Nearing  a  Crisis 

in  this.  Let  the  council  meet  again  to-day.  When  this 
point  comes  to  be  discussed,  do  you,  marshal,  propose 
Abbot  Faustus  for  the  office,  and  I  will  assent." 

Though  wondering  much  at  her  choice,  Zabern  re 
frained  from  comment. 

That  same  evening  another  cabinet  council  was  held 
in  the  Vistula  Palace,  Barbara  again  presiding. 

Among  the  members  present  was  the  Archbishop 
Mosco,  or,  as  he  was  styled  in  Slavowitz,  the  Arch- 
pastor,  who,  as  previously  stated,  had  a  seat  in  the  cabi 
net,  not  by  the  appointment  of  the  princess,  but  by 
virtue  of  his  office  as  head  of  the  Greek  Church  in 
Czernova. 

The  crowning  of  the  sovereign  had  hitherto  been  one 
of  the  privileges  attaching  to  his  see.  Barbara's  Latin 
faith,  however,  had  necessarily  deprived  him  of  his  pre 
rogative,  which  would  thus  seem  to  devolve  by  natural 
right  upon  the  highest  ecclesiastic  in  the  Catholic  Church 
of  Czernova,  or  in  other  words,  upon  the  Cardinal  Arch 
bishop  Ravenna. 

Therefore,  when  Zabern  rose  to  propose  that  Abbot 
Faustus,  of  the  Convent  of  the  Transfiguration,  should 
have  the  high  honor  of  crowning  the  princess,  there 
were  murmurs  of  dissent  from  the  council,  the  ma 
jority  not  deeming  the  abbot  of  sufficient  dignity  for 
the  office. 

'''  The  cardinal  would  regard  such  appointment  as  an 
affront  to  himself,"  remarked  Radzivil. 

"  And  might  seek,  in  his  disappointment,  to  give  us 
trouble,"  commented  Dorislas.  "  Being  the  ecclesiastical 
superior  of  Faustus,  he  might  appear  in  the  cathedral  and 
interdict  the  abbot  from  crowning  the  princess,  which 
would  be  a  pretty  scandal." 

"  Ah,  well,"  replied  Zabern,  carelessly,  "  we  have 
prisons  for  disorderly  prelates,  as  well  as  for  law-break 
ing  dukes." 

20  305 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

"What  says  her  Highness  in  this  matter?"  said  Rad- 
zivil  turning  to  the  princess. 

"  The  marshal's  nomination  meets  with  my  approval," 
returned  Barbara.  "  My  lords,  I  will  not  now  enter  into 
my  reasons.  Let  it  suffice  to  say  that  Cardinal  Ravenna 
has  made  it  impossible  for  me  to  receive  the  cro\vn  from 
his  hands.  Sooner  would  I  resign  than  do  so." 

Great  wonderment  appeared  on  the  faces  of  the  min 
isters,  yet  none  ventured  to  ask  in  what  way  the  cardinal 
had  offended.  Opposition  to  the  abbot  was  immediately 
withdrawn,  for  the  cabinet,  gratified  by  Barbara's  sup 
posed  dismissal  of  Paul,  \vere  in  a  complaisant  mood, 
though  they  plainly  saw  trouble  looming  ahead  in  thus 
excluding  Ravenna  from  participating  in  the  coronation. 

At  this  point  of  the  debate  Polonaski  intervened  with  a 
suggestion.  He  was  the  Justiciary,  and  by  virtue  of  his 
office  the  highest  legal  authority  in  Czernova. 

"  Since  your  Highness  reigns  over  Greeks  as  well  as 
Catholics,  would  it  not  be  politic  to  conciliate  the  former 
by  permitting  a  Greek  prelate  to  have  some  share,  how 
ever  small,  in  your  coronation  ?  " 

"  That  is  good  counsel,"  replied  Barbara.  "  I  trust, 
my  lord,"  she  added,  addressing  Mosco  with  a  gracious 
smile,  "  that  you  have  not  viewed  with  bitterness  this 
setting  aside  of  the  ancient  privilege  attaching  to  your 
see?  But,  indeed,  you  are  welcome  to  take  whatever  part 
you  please  in  my  coronation,  short  of  the  administration 
of  the  Sacrament  and  of  the  imposition  of  the  diadem." 

Mosco,  apparently  gratified  by  this  concession,  spent 
a  few  moments  in  studying  the  coronation  ritual,  a  copy 
of  which  had  been  supplied  to  each  member  of  the 
cabinet. 

"  I  ask  for  nothing  more,"  he  finally  observed,  "  than 
for  leave  to  read  the  Gospel  at  the  beginning  of  the 
ceremony." 

"  It  is  granted,"  replied  Barbara,  wondering  why  the 
306 


Nearing  a  Crisis 

archpastor  should  select  this,  a  somewhat  humble  office, 
compared  with  others  which  were  open  to  him. 

Mosco's  lips  curved  into  a  smile,  which,  though  lasting 
but  a  moment,  did  not  escape  the  quick  eye  of  Zabern, 
who  immediately  became  full  of  suspicion. 

"  As  I  live,"  he  muttered  to  himself,  "  our  archpastor 
is  a  traitor !  Have  I  got  rid  of  Bora  only  to  find  that  he 
has  left  a  successor  in  the  cabinet?  That  smile  means 
mischief.  But  what  mischief  can  come  from  the  reading 
of  the  Gospel  ?  " 

An  enigma  which  was  not  solved  till  the  actual  day  of 
the  coronation,  and  those  who  witnessed  the  solution 
were  not  likely  ever  to  forget  it. 

That  picturesque  personage,  accustomed  to  figure  at  a 
coronation,  namely,  the  champion,  now  became  a  sub 
ject  of  discussion,  Mosco  himself  having  introduced  the 
question. 

"  It  is  the  duty  of  such  champion,"  he  explained  in  an 
swer  to  Barbara's  interrogation,  "  to  stand  before  the 
throne,  and,  casting  down  a  glove,  to  defy  to  mortal  com 
bat  any  one  who  shall  openly  challenge  the  right  of  the 
sovereign  to  rule." 

"  But  why,"  said  the  princess,  with  a  pitying  smile, 
"  why  should  we  retain  a  feudal  usage  out  of  place  in  this 
nineteenth  century  ?  " 

"  It  has  always  formed  a  part  of  the  coronation  cere 
monial,"  protested  Mosco.  "  Your  late  father,  Prince 
Thaddeus,  would  not  have  it  omitted  when  he  was 
crowned." 

"  And  what  would  happen,"  asked  Radzivil,  "  if  some 
one  malevolently  disposed  towards  the  princess  should 
step  forward  and  pick  up  the  glove  ?  " 

"  We  had  better  consult  the  Justiciary,"  smiled  Bar 
bara.  "  He  is  our  authority  on  all  matters  of  law." 

"  Your  Highness,"  returned  Polonaski,  "  the  ancient 
statute  touching  the  championing  of  the  sovereign's 

307 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

rights  has  never  been  repealed,  and  therefore  still  stands 
good  in  point  of  law.  Should  any  one  accept  the  cham 
pion's  challenge  by  taking  up  the  gage  thrown  down, 
the  combat  would  have  to  take  place/' 

"With  what  result?"  queried  Radzivil.  "Will  you 
say  that  if  her  champion  should  fall  the  princess  must 
resign  the  throne  ?  " 

"  According  to  the  law  of  Czernova,"  replied  the 
Justiciary. 

Zabern  leaned  back  in  his  seat  and  caustically  whis 
pered  in  the  premier's  ear,  — 

"  Count,  methinks  you  were  a  little  premature  last 
night  in  banishing  an  excellent  swordsman  from  Czer 
nova." 

"  I  venture  to  differ  from  the  Justiciary,"  remarked  the 
princess.  "  An  earlier  law  is  always  repealed  by  a  later. 
Therefore  the  feudal  statute  which  has  been  cited  is  abro 
gated  by  the  recent  Anti-duelling  Act.  We  will  therefore 
omit  this  pretended  championing  of  our  rights  as  an 
obsolete,  barbarous,  and  unmeaning  ceremony." 

The  Justiciary  did  not  look  as  if  convinced  by  Bar 
bara's  reasoning.  He  refrained  from  further  comment, 
however,  and  the  motion  to  omit  the  champion  from  the 
ceremonial  was  unanimously  accepted. 

Various  other  matters  relative  to  the  solemnity  were 
settled,  after  which  the  council  broke  up,  leaving  Zabern 
still  troubled  by  Mosco's  smile.  A  permanent  member  of 
the  cabinet,  the  Greek  archpastor,  equally  with  the  Roman 
archbishop,  could  not  be  removed  at  will  by  the  princess 
or  the  premier,  unless  guilty  of  treason,  and  of  this  Za 
bern  as  yet  lacked  proof. 

"  He  is  playing  Bora's  game,"  muttered  the  marshal. 
"  He  is  a  party  to  Lipski's  plot.  I  warrant  he  knows 
all  about  the  store  of  arms  concealed  in  that  traitor's 
cellar.  Mosco,  you  shall  sit  no  more  as  the  betrayer  of 
our  meetings,  for  none  shall  be  held.  For  some  time  to 

308 


Nearing  a  Crisis 

come  Czernova  shall  be  governed  by  a  council  of  three 
—  the  princess,  Radzivil,  and  myself." 

But  the  evil  which  the  Greek  archpastor  might  do  was 
as  nothing  compared  with  what  the  Roman  archbishop 
could  effect,  and  in  the  course  of  a  few  days  Barbara 
found  herself  facing  a  peril  of  which  even  her  confidant 
Zabern  little  dreamed. 

A  week  after  Paul's  departure  Cardinal  Ravenna  re 
turned  to  Slavowitz,  coming  from  Rome  in  no  good 
humor.  The  Sacred  College,  at  the  invitation  of  the 
Pope,  had  been  spending  many  days  in  the  discussion  of 
some  abstruse  doctrine  of  theology,  much  to  the  irrita 
tion  of  Ravenna,  whose  self-interest  required  his  presence 
in  Czernova. 

In  the  first  hour  of  his  return  he  was  made  aware  that 
the  cabinet,  ignoring  his  superior  claims,  had  deputed 
Abbot  Faustus  to  crown  the  princess,  and  that  all  men 
were  talking  of  the  event;  for  inasmuch  as  it  was  the 
current  belief  that  Ravenna  was  the  very  person  who  had 
converted  the  princess  to  the  Catholic  faith,  the  Czerno- 
vese  \vere  naturally  not  a  little  mystified  by  this  exclu 
sion  of  the  archbishop  from  the  coronation  ceremony. 

Ravenna  knew  full  well  that  this  appointment  could 
not  have  been  made  without  the  sanction  of  Barbara  her 
self,  and  accordingly  on  the  following  morning  he  re 
paired  to  the  Vistula  Palace,  his  mortification  becoming 
still  further  enhanced  by  the  mocking  smile  of  his  Greek 
rival,  w7hom  he  chanced  to  pass  on  the  way.  Barbara 
received  the  cardinal  with  a  chilling  mien. 

"  Is  it  true,  princess,"  he  began  with  a  grave  air,  "  that 
in  the  matter  of  the  coronation  you  have  given  to  the 
Abbot  Faustus,  my  inferior,  the  honor  which  belongs  of 
right  to  the  archbishop  ?  " 

"  Quite  true,"  responded  Barbara,  coldly. 

"  Do  you  intend,  then,  with  set  purpose,  to  put  an 
affront  upon  me  in  the  sight  of  all  Czernova  ?  " 

309 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

"  None  but  pure  hands  shall  set  the  diadem  upon  my 
head.  Shall  I  accept  the  Sacrament  from  one  who  has 
insulted  me  .with  words  of  unhallowed  love,  repeat  prayers 
uttered  by  your  lips?  My  lord  cardinal,"  she  added  in 
scorn,  "  have  you  no  conscience  ?  " 

Probably  not.  He  was  indifferent  to  the  moral  precepts 
of  religion,  if  not  at  heart  wholly  atheistic,  having  adopted 
the  ecclesiastic  life  merely  as  a  stepping-stone  to  power. 

"  Is  it  likewise  true  that  Zabern  purposes  at  no  distant 
date  to  introduce  into  the  Diet  a  bill  for  the  expulsion  of 
Jesuits  from  Czernova  ?  " 

"  Your  eminence  has  been  correctly  informed.  We 
cannot  tolerate  in  the  principality  those  whose  aim  it  is 
to  create  an  imperium  in  imperio.  Besides/'  added  the 
princess,  caustically,  "  a  Jesuit  Expulsion  Bill  will  put 
my  Muscovite  subjects  in  a  good  humor,  while  not 
greatly  offending  the  Catholics." 

Though  maintaining  a  calm  exterior,  the  cardinal 
nevertheless  listened  with  secret  dismay,  for  her  words 
were  the  very  death-knell  of  his  ambition.  By  using  the 
princess  as  his  instrument  he  had  hoped  to  play  the  role 
of  a  Richelieu  in  Czernova,  and  to  be  the  supreme  di 
rector  of  affairs,  secular  as  well  as  ecclesiastical.  By 
reason  of  his  supposed  conversion  of  a  Greek  princess 
he  had  obtained  a  high  place  in  the  Pope's  favor.  He  had 
openly  boasted  at  the  Vatican  that  the  Greek  heresy  would 
soon  vanish  from  Czernova.  But  now?  The  attitude  of 
Barbara  and  her  cabinet  showed  that  he  had  been  build 
ing  castles  in  the  air. 

Was  this  to  be  the  end  of  his  life's  work?  Must  he 
write  "  failure  "  across  the  scheme  that  had  occupied  his 
mind  for  twenty  years?  It  would  seem  so. 

"  Is  it  to  be  war  between  us  ?  Good  !  Thus,  then,  do 
I  take  up  the  gage  flung  down  by  you.  On  your  corona 
tion  day,  in  the  sight  of  all  assembled  in  the  cathedral, 
I  shall  rise  to  affirm,  ay,  and  to  prove  too,  that  you  are 

310 


Nearing  a  Crisis 

not  Natalie  Lilieska.  I  shall  denounce  you  as  an  impos 
tor,  as  a  knowing  usurper  of  the  rights  of  Bora." 

"  And  be  arrested  as  an  accomplice  of  the  impostor ; 
since,  if  I  fall,  you  fall  with  me." 

"  Not  so,  princess ;  for  I  shall  previously  have  made 
my  terms  with  Bora.  You  may  count,  now,  upon  hav 
ing  the  Pope  as  your  enemy,  since  you  are  bent  upon 
persecuting  the  Society  of  Jesus.  By  falsely  claiming  to 
be  princess  you  have  imposed  upon  the  Holy  Father. 
You  admit  a  heretical  prelate  to  participate  in  the  cere 
mony  of  your  coronation.  You  pretend  to  be  a  Catholic, 
yet  your  ministers  have  placarded  Slavowitz  to  the  effect 
that  the  princess  will  swear  at  the  altar  to  preserve  in 
violate  the  ancient  privileges  as  well  of  the  Greek  as  of 
the  Latin  Church.  Such  Laodicean  policy  will  not  suit 
Pio  Nono.  A  word  in  his  ear  from  me  will  bring  against 
you  a  bull  of  excommunication.  And,  remember,  that 
the  subjects  of  an  excommunicated  ruler  are  absolved 
from  their  allegiance." 

Barbara  laughed  scornfully. 

"  We  are  not  living  in  the  time  of  the  Crusades.  Ex 
communication  is  an  obsolete  weapon." 

"  Not  so  obsolete  as  you  deem,  princess.  The  Poles 
are  loyal,  or  shall  we  say  superstitious,  Catholics.  Many 
of  them  will  obey  the  Pope  rather  than  yourself.  There 
will  be  a  cleavage  in  the  ranks  of  your  Polish  adherents 
fatal  to  your  interests.  Barbara  Lilieska,  with  the  Pope 
and  the  Catholic  clergy  of  Czernova  alienated  from  you ; 
with  dissension  among  your  own  adherents ;  with  the 
duke  and  his  Muscovite  faction  opposed  to  you ;  with 
the  jealous  Czar,  ready,  nay,  eager,  to  march  his  armies 
against  the  usurping  princess  who  had  so  often  thwarted 
his  policy  —  it  will  pass  the  wit  of  Zabern  himself  to  keep 
you  upon  the  throne.  Dream  not  of  your  coronation. 
You  may  ride  in  state  to  the  cathedral,  but  only  to  wit 
ness  the  crowning  of  Bora.  From  that  ceremony  you 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

will  return  not  to  this  Vistula  Palace,  but  to  that  Citadel 
in  which  you  once  imprisoned  the  duke.  He  hates  you 
bitterly  since  your  rejection  of  him  for  Captain  Wood- 
ville.  Now  he  will  be  able  to  wreak  his  vengeance  upon 
you.  You  will  have  to  drink  deep  of  the  cup  of  humilia 
tion.  Are  you  prepared  for  this  ?  " 

Barbara  sat,  pondering  over  the  difficulties  of  her  posi 
tion.  Then  amid  her  troubled  thoughts  came  the  memory 
of  Paul  and  of  his  mysterious  plan,  and  she  took  courage. 

The  cardinal  stood  silently  drinking  in  the  beauty  of 
her  face  and  figure,  loving  and  hating  her  in  the  same 
moment,  hoping  against  hope  that  she  would  change  her 
attitude  towards  him. 

So  long  did  Barbara  remain  mute  that  the  cardinal 
began  to  think  that  her  opposition  was  weakening,  and 
under  this  delusion  he  ventured  to  renew  his  proposals 
of  love. 

"  No  more  such  language,  my  lord,"  said  the  prin 
cess,  her  eyes  flashing  with  indignation,  "  or  I  call  the 
guard." 

"  And  thereby  precipitate  your  immediate  ruin.  The 
news  of  my  imprisonment  would  cause  my  nephew  Red- 
witz  of  Zamoska  to  put  in  evidence  the  three  sealed  let 
ters.  At  present  the  secrets  contained  within  them  are 
unknown  even  to  him ;  but  in  a  day  more  all  the  world 
would  be  talking  of  the  impostor-princess  of  Czernova. 
There  are  still  seven  weeks  left  to  you;  why  abbreviate 
your  reign  ?  " 

Ravenna  had  spoken  without  his  accustomed  caution 
in  revealing  the  names  Redwitz  and  Zamoska,  which  last 
was  a  small  town  in  Russia,  distant  a  few  miles  from  the 
Czernovese  border.  Though  trembling  with  anger  at 
the  cardinal's  insolence,  which  a  hard  necessity  com 
pelled  her  to  tolerate,  Barbara  did  not  let  the  phrase 
"  Redwitz  of  Zamoska  "  escape  her.  The  words  seemed 
to  afford  a  ray  of  hope.  If  these  letters  could  be  seized, 

312 


Nearing  a  Crisis 

and  the  cardinal  arrested  on  one  and  the  same  day,  why 
—  then  —  then  — 

"  Barbara  Tressilian,"  said  the  cardinal  quietly,  "  your 
aversion  to  illicit  love  would  seem  to  combat  the  theory 
of  heredity." 

At  this  singular  utterance  the  princess  gave  a  palpable 
start. 

"  The  daughter  is  more  scrupulous  than  the  mother." 

These  words  and  the  cold  sneer  accompanying  them 
occasioned  in  Barbara  a  fear  far  greater  than  that  caused 
by  the  threat  of  deposition. 

"  What  devil's  lie  are  you  inventing  now  ?  "  she  mur 
mured. 

"  Your  English  mother,  Hilda  Tressilian,  was  content 
to  be  wooed  and  won  without  asking  the  church  to  con 
secrate  her  love." 

If  it  be  possible  for  the  human  heart  to  suspend  its 
pulsation,  then  Barbara's  heart  did  at  that  moment. 

When  at  last  she  spoke  it  was  in  a  voice  breathless 
with  indignation.  "  Can  there  be  a  more  base  deed 
than  to  slander  a  dead  mother  in  the  presence  of  her 
daughter  ?  " 

"  No  slander,  but  the  solemn  truth  do  I  speak.  Your 
father,  Prince  Thaddeus,  withheld  this  knowledge  from 
you,  from  a  desire  to  spare  your  feelings.  When  after 
the  Dalmatian  earthquake  of  two  years  ago,  you  were 
wavering  between  the  crown  of  a  princess  and  the  veil 
of  a  nun,  the  knowledge  that  you  were  of  illegitimate 
birth  might  have  deterred  you  from  accepting  the  crown ; 
therefore  Prince  Thaddeus  kept  that  matter  a  secret. 
He  invented  the  story  that  the  church,  the  scene  of  his 
marriage,  had  been  burnt,  and  the  record  of  the  union 
destroyed ;  and  the  more  effectually  to  deceive  you  he 
made  choice  in  his  fiction  of  a  certain  church  which  had 
actually  been  consumed  by  fire.  But  the  preservation  of 
the  edifice  would  have  availed  you  nothing,  for  its  mar- 

313 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

riage-book  contained  no  such  names  as  Thaddeus  Lilieski 
and  Hilda  Tressilian." 

"  It  is  a  question  betwixt  my  father's  word  and  yours. 
I  prefer  my  father's." 

"  Naturally,  inasmuch  as  it  suits  your  interests. 
When  on  your  crowning-day,  and  before  a  vast  as 
sembly,  I  rise  to  deny  that  you  are  Natalie  Lilieski,  will 
you  dare  affirm  it,  knowing,  as  you  do,  that  you  lack  a 
certain  birth-mark  of  that  princess?  If  you  aver  that 
you  are  in  reality  Barbara  Lilieska,  the  elder  daughter  of 
Thaddeus,  what  answer  will  you  give  to  those  who  chal 
lenge  you  to  produce  the  proofs  of  Thaddeus's  early  mar 
riage?  Barbara  Tressilian,  you  are  illegitimate,  and 
as  such  debarred  from  reigning.  Your  beauty  has  made 
you  many  enemies  among  the  proud  and  envious  ladies 
of  Czernova.  Those  over  whom  you  have  queened  it  will 
be  able  to  point  the  finger  of  scorn  at  the  discrowned 
princess,  branded  with  the  stain  of  illicit  birth." 

He  marked  with  secret  pleasure  the  shiver  of  wounded 
pride  on  the  part  of  Barbara,  and  clenched  his  remarks 
with  the  question,  — 

"  Knowing  what  I  can  effect,  do  you  still  maintain  your 
defiance  of  me  ?  " 

"  I  do,"  responded  Barbara,  quietly.  "  Believing  my 
self  to  be  the  lawful  princess  of  Czernova,  I  shall  hold 
to  my  throne.  Girt  around  with  earthly  perils,  I  tran 
quillize  my  mind  by  looking  above,  confiding  in  the  jus 
tice  of  heaven." 

That  any  one  should  think  of  trusting  to  such  a 
shadowy  weapon  as  the  justice  of  heaven  drew  a  sneer 
from  the  atheistic  cardinal. 

"  The  history  of  Poland  should  have  taught  you  that 
God  is  always  on  the  side  of  the  strong."  And  then, 
conscious  of  the  futility  of  further  argument,  he  made  a 
mock  bow,  and  with  the  words,  "  Farewell,  Princess 
Lackland,"  he  withdrew  from  the  saloon. 


Nearing  a  Crisis 

Barbara  retired  to  her  own  private  apartments,  and  was 
seen  no  more  that  day,  save  by  her  personal  attendants. 

Her  belief  in  her  legitimacy  had  rested  upon  her 
father's  word;  but  how  if  he  had  deceived  her?  The 
thought  that  she  might  be  of  illicit  birth  rankled  in  her 
mind,  poisoning  all  her  happiness.  She  clenched  her 
hands  in  agony,  and  unable  to  sit  still,  paced  restlessly 
to  and  fro. 

The  spirit  of  justice  was  deep-planted  within  Barbara's 
breast;  a  throne  unlawfully  held  had  no  attractions  for 
her;  if  she  could  be  certain  that  the  cardinal's  statement 
were  true,  then,  bitter  though  the  duty  might  be,  she  must 
resign  the  crown  of  Czernova  to  her  enemy  Bora.  But 
she  was  not  certain,  and  therein  lay  the  torture.  She 
would  have  no  peace  of  mind  till  the  question  should  be 
settled,  and  unfortunately  the  circumstances  of  the  case 
seemed  to  preclude  the  possibility  of  solving  the  doubt. 

When  Zabern  next  day  sought  the  presence  of  the 
princess,  he  was  struck  by  her  pallid  complexion  and 
melancholy  air. 

'  The  cabinet,"  he  muttered  to  himself,  mistaking  the 
cause  of  her  sadness,  "  will  have  to  recall  Woodville,  or 
our  princess's  health  will  give  way.  Your  Highness," 
he  said  aloud,  "Dorislas  has  just  proposed  a  conundrum." 

'  To  what  effect  ?  "  asked  Barbara  with  a  smile. 

'  Whether  does  Cardinal  Ravenna  live  at  Slavowitz 
or  at  Rome  ? '  I  confess  I  am  unable  to  answer  it.  It 
is  but  forty-eight  hours  since  the  cardinal's  return,  and 
yet  we  now  hear  that  he  has  set  off  again  for  Rome,  and 
will  not  come  back  till  your  coronation  eve." 

"  When  he  wrill  bring  with  him,"  observed  Barbara, 
quietly,  "  a  papal  bull  excommunicating  the  Princess  of 
Czernova." 

"  Ha !  he  '11  be  well  advised  not  to  read  it,"  said  Zabern, 
touching  the  hilt  of  his  sabre  significantly.  "  I  plainly 
foresaw  that  our  preference  for  Faustus  would  make  an 

315 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

enemy  of  Ravenna.  And  so  he  hath  gone  to  Rome  to 
solicit  a  bull  of  excommunication  ?  And  he  '11  obtain  it. 
Our  intended  attack  on  the  Jesuits  will  not  please  Pio 
Nono ;  once  their  foe,  he  hath  of  late  become  their  friend 
and  patron.  Excommunication !  Thus  does  the  Church 
reward  us  for  preserving  her  property,  since  in  fighting 
for  our  own  Convent  of  the  Transfiguration,  we  were 
fighting  likewise  for  all  the  other  monasteries  of  Czer- 
nova ;  for  which  service  it  now  appears  we  are  to  receive 
papal  curses.  Humph !  '  Catholicism  without  the  Pope  ' 
will  soon  have  to  be  our  cry." 

"  Marshal,"  said  Barbara,  resolving  to  make  Zabern  a 
confidant  of  her  secret  history,  "  did  you  not  present  me 
with  a  handsome  bow  and  quiver  about  six  months  ago?" 

Zabern  replied  in  the  affirmative,  wondering  why  the 
princess  should  have  introduced  a  matter  seemingly 
irrelevant. 

"  Have  you  not  felt  hurt  that  I  have  never  once  made 
use  of  your  gifts  ?  " 

"  The  princess  has  been  occupied  with  more  important 
matters." 

"  Shall  I  give  you  my  reason  ?  " 

"  If  your  Highness  wills." 

'  The  reason  is  very  simple.  I  have  never  handled 
bow  and  arrow,  and  it  might  create  suspicion  if  I  should 
now  begin  to  learn." 

"  Now  your  Highness  is  jesting,"  said  Zabern,  puzzled 
to  account  for  this  humor  on  the  part  of  the  princess,  be 
cause  Barbara  was  not  in  the  habit  of  jesting ;  and,  more 
over,  if  her  remark  were  intended  for  a  jest,  it  was 
somewhat  difficult  to  see  the  point.  "  You  shoot  like 
Diana  herself,  or  rather,  I  should  say  you  did,  for  I  must 
confess  that  since  your  Dalmatian  tour  you  seem  to  have 
taken  a  dislike  to  archery." 

"  Marshal,  I  have  never  in  my  life  taken  aim  at  a 
taret." 


Nearing  a  Crisis 

Zabern  was  completely  dumfounded  by  the  serious 
ness  with  which  Barbara  spoke.  On  recovering  from  his 
surprise,  he  said,  smiling  the  while,  for  he  did  not  believe 
in  what  he  was  saying,  — 

"  Then  if  I  am  to  accept  your  Highness's  statement 
as  true,  it  must  follow  as  a  logical  conclusion  that 
the  young  princess  who  handled  the  bow  so  admirably 
three  years  ago  is  not  the  same  as  she  who  now 
addresses  me." 

"  Now  you  have  hit  upon  my  secret,  marshal.  I  am 
not  Natalie  Lilieska." 

"  And  I  am  not  Ladislas  Zabern,"  laughed  the  other. 
He  could  not  tell  why  the  princess  spoke  thus ;  he  cer 
tainly  could  not  believe  her. 

"  Now,  Zabern,  be  serious,  for  I  am  serious.  Can  you 
not  recall  when  I  first  came  here  from  Dalmatia,  many 
supposed  lapses  of  memory  on  my  part?  Was  it  not  a 
common  saying  at  that  time,  '  The  princess  has  grown 
very  forgetful?'  Was  I  ever  seen  without  either  my 
father  or  Ravenna  by  my  side?  The  truth  is  they  were 
secretly  instructing  me  as  to  the  persons  whom  I  met, 
giving  me  their  names,  history,  and  the  like.  And  yet  in 
spite  of  many  blunders  on  my  part,  no  one  seemed  to  have 
any  suspicion  as  to  the  truth,  not  even  the  Duke  of  Bora. 
Listen,"  continued  Barbara  to  the  utterly  bewildered 
marshal,  "  listen  while  I  give  you  a  secret  chapter  of  my 
biography." 

Zabern  gave  due  heed ;  and  though  the  story  was  one 
of  the  most  marvellous  and  most  romantic  that  had  ever 
come  under  his  notice,  either  in  history  or  fiction,  he  was 
compelled  to  believe  in  its  truth,  for  what  motive  could 
the  princess  have  in  fabricating  such  story? 

But  when  he  was  made  aware  of  the  sacrifice  which 
the  cardinal  had  demanded  of  Barbara  as  the  price  of  his 
silence,  Zabern  became  first  cold  with  horror,  then  hot 
with  rage.  A  saint  as  regarded  his  own  dealings  with 

317 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

women,  he  viewed  with  peculiar  aversion  a  priest  ad 
dicted  to  illicit  amours. 

"  By  heaven,  your  Highness,  if  I  had  but  known  this 
three  hours  earlier  I  would  have  cut  the  villain's  throat." 

"  And  thereby,  in  the  cardinal's  words,  have  precipi 
tated  my  immediate  ruin.  We  must  act  warily.  Listen." 

And  here  Barbara  proceeded  to  enlighten  the  marshal 
as  to  Redwitz  of  Zamoska,  the  guardian  of  the  three 
sealed  letters ;  and  how  on  receiving  intelligence  of  his 
uncle's  imprisonment  or  death,  the  nephew  was  to  de 
spatch  these  missives,  —  one  to  the  Russian  Foreign  Min 
ister,  a  second  to  the  Duke  of  Bora,  and  a  third  to  the 
office  of  the  "  Kolokol  "  newspaper. 

"  A  subtle  knave !  "  smiled  Zabern. 

Himself  born  with  a  genius  for  plotting,  the  marshal 
took  a  keen  zest  in  outwitting  the  plans  of  others,  and  in 
his  view  the  cardinal's  contrivance  for  safeguarding  him 
self  presented  some  interesting  features. 

"  I  fail  to  see  why  your  Highness  should  fear  the  car 
dinal.  You  are  so  like  Princess  Natalie  in  face  and  figure 
that  you  can  laugh  at  his  threat  to  expose  you  on  the 
coronation  day.  We  will  ascribe  his  statement  to  the 
malice  of  a  disappointed  ecclesiastic." 

"  Not  so,"  replied  Barbara,  with  a  shake  of  her  grace 
ful  head.  "  My  sister  Natalie  had  a  mole  upon  her  right 
shoulder,  as  the  physicians  who  attended  her  birth,  and 
the  nurses  and  ladies  who  waited  upon  her,  can  prove. 
I  have  no  such  mark.  Now,  Zabern,  never  lacking  in 
subtle  counsel,  you  see  my  peril.  Aid  me.  You  de 
feated  Lipski ;  now  defeat  the  cardinal  for  me." 

"  A  very  easy  matter.  Why  did  not  your  Highness 
confide  in  me  before  ?  " 

"  How  —  easy  ?    In  what  way  do  you  propose  to  act  ?  " 

"  In  the  first  place,  are  you  certain  that  no  one  knows 
your  secret  besides  ourselves,  Ravenna,  and  Captain 
Woodville  ?  This  Redwitz,  for  example  ?  " 


Nearing  a  Crisis 

"  The  cardinal  asserted  that  his  nephew  was  ignorant 
of  the  contents  of  the  three  packets." 

"  Good !  For  my  own  part  I  do  not  think  it  probable 
that  the  cardinal  would  share  so  valuable  a  secret  with 
others ;  his  own  self-interest  would  forbid  it.  Well, 
now,"  mused  Zabern,  "  if  we  lay  violent  hands  upon 
Ravenna  the  nephew  over  the  border  will  send  off  the 
letters." 

"  That  has  been  my  fear." 

"  On  the  other  hand,  if  I  despatch  an  agent  to  the 
house  of  Redwitz  to  obtain  possession  of  the  letters,  and 
it  would  be  very  easy  to  effect  this  —  " 

"  Then  Redwitz,  discovering  his  loss,  would  notify  the 
fact  to  the  cardinal,  who  would  thus  become  apprised  of 
our  design." 

"  True,  princess ;  therefore  our  plan  is  obvious.  Either 
the  seizure  of  the  papers  and  the  seizure  of  the  cardinal 
must  take  place  coincidently,  or —  But  leave  it  to  me, 
your  Highness,"  added  Zabern,  breaking  off  somewhat 
abruptly.  "  Let  the  cardinal  enjoy  his  brief  span  of  life 
at  Rome.  As  soon  as  he  returns  he  shall  be  secretly  seized 
in  his  own  palace,  instantly  gagged  to  prevent  .him  from 
revealing  anything  even  to  his  captors,  and  conveyed  in 
a  covered  carriage  to  the  oubliettes  of  the  Citadel.  He 
shall  never  see  daylight  again." 

Much  as  the  cardinal  might  deserve  such  fate,  Barbara 
nevertheless  could  not  repress  a  shudder. 

"  Marshal,"  she  said,  with  a  grave  look,  "  it  is  a  dan 
gerous  thing  to  seize,  imprison,  and  execute  a  cardinal, 
a  prince  of  the  Church,  without  any  pretence  at  a  trial. 
The  Pope  —  all  Europe  —  will  have  something  to  say  on 
the  matter." 

"  Trial  ?  We  dare  not  try  him,  for  then  would  he  make 
known  to  the  judges  and  others  the  very  matter  we  wish 
to  keep  secret.  Ours  is  a  dangerous  game,  true;  but  it 
would  be  far  more  dangerous  to  let  the  villain  live.  Still, 

319 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

there  is  no  need  for  his  arrest ;  there  are  other  and  safer 
ways.  The  cardinal  may  disappear  mysteriously,  and 
then  Marshal  Zabern,  the  Minister  of  Justice,  will  offer 
a  large  reward,  ay,  and  will  give  it,  too,  to  any  one  who 
can  tell  what  has  become  of  the  missing  archbishop.  Or," 
added  Zabern,  grimly,  "  he  may  be  found  to  have  com 
mitted  suicide  in  his  own  palace." 

Zabern  spoke  without  the  least  scruple.  He  was  not 
naturally  cruel  nor  treacherous,  but  he  reflected  that  the 
crown  of  Czernova  was  at  stake,  and  with  it,  so  he  be 
lieved,  the  future  liberation  of  Poland ;  and  where  these 
weighty  matters  were  concerned,  the  secret  removal  of  a 
cardinal  was  but  a  light  thing  in  his  eyes. 

But  Barbara  was  distressed.  Must  she  resort  to  crime, 
she  who  had  declared  to  the  cardinal  that  her  reliance  was 
upon  heaven  ?  For  her  conscience  refused  to  palliate  Za- 
bern's  intended  deed  ;  the  slaying  of  Ravenna  without  trial 
would  be  murder,  and  murder  wrought  to  secure  a  title  the 
validity  of  which  she  herself  was  beginning  to  question. 

Zabern  noted  her  look  of  pain. 

"  Your  Highness,  bestow  no  pity  upon  the  cardinal ; 
he  deserves  death,  if  ever  man  deserved  it.  Consider  the 
case  of  your  sister  Natalie.  Do  not  believe  that  she  com 
mitted  suicide.  A  maiden  of  seventeen,  to  whom  life  was 
just  unfolding  fair  and  bright,  heiress  to  a  crown,  and 
affianced  to  a  man  whom  she  loved  —  heaven  forgive  her 
for  her  choice !  —  she  had  every  inducement  to  live. 
Doubt  not  that  the  cardinal  had  a  hand  in  her  death. 
Give  me  leave  to  employ  the  rack  upon  him,  and  I  '11 
soon  extract  the  truth." 

"  You  have  my  authority  for  his  arrest  and  convey 
ance  to  the  oubliettes  of  the  Citadel.  Solitary  confine 
ment  and  a  deaf  jailer,  if  you  will ;  but  murder  —  no ! 
Fiat  voluntas  mea." 

With  that  the  interview  terminated,  and  Zabern  de 
parted  to  reduce  to  practice  the  plan  he  had  formed. 

320 


Nearing  a  Crisis 

Four  weeks  afterwards  he  presented  to  the  princess 
three  small  packets,  each  fastened  with  violet-colored 
wax,  stamped  with  the  image  of  a  paschal  lamb,  a  seal 
that  recalled  vividly  to  her  mind  the  mysterious  incidents 
connected  with  the  cardinal's  study  at  Castel  Nuovo. 

'  There  are  Ravenna's  documentary  safeguards," 
laughed  Zabern.  "  One  half  of  our  task  is  accomplished." 

"  How  have  you  managed  it  ?  "  asked  Barbara. 

"  Katina's  sister  Juliska  has  been  my  agent.  Going  to 
Zamoska  she  succeeded  in  making  acquaintance  with  a 
maid-servant  belonging  to  the  household  of  this  Redwitz, 
who,  it  appears,  is  a  Catholic  priest.  By  the  offer  of  a 
large  bribe  Juliska  persuaded  this  girl  to  ask  her  master's 
leave  to  visit  a  dying  brother  in  a  distant  part  of  Russia, 
the  said  dying  brother  being,  of  course,  a  mythical  per 
sonage;  in  the  meantime,  the  maid  averred,  her  duties 
could  be  performed  by  a  friend  of  hers  then  resident  in 
Zamoska.  The  unsuspecting  Redwitz  gave  his  consent, 
and  the  pretty  Juliska  took  up  her  residence  under  the 
priest's  roof  in  the  character  of  temporary  servant. 

"  Fortunately  for  our  plan  one  of  her  duties  was  to  at 
tend  to  the  study  of  this  Redwitz,  and,  making  careful 
search  in  his  absence,  she  soon  lighted  upon  these  three 
packets  in  a  secret  drawer  of  an  escritoire.  Having  been 
provided  beforehand  with  the  necessary  materials, 
namely,  violet  wax  and  the  cardinal's  seal,  Juliska  quickly 
made  up  three  blank  packets  outwardly  similar  in  all  re 
spects  to  the  originals ;  and  the  latter  being  abstracted 
from  the  escritoire  were  replaced  by  the  fac-similes." 

Barbara,  breaking  the  seals,  proceeded  to  read  the  con 
tents  of  the  three  missives,  which  were  all  couched  in 
much  the  same  terms.  Each  began  by  affirming  that  the 
then  regnant  Princess  of  Czernova  was  not  Natalie  Lili- 
eska,  and  various  circumstances  were  adduced  in  proof 
of  this  statement.  The  document  then  went  on  to  assert, 
and  the  assertion  brought  the  color  of  shame  to  Barbara's 
21  321 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

cheek,  that  the  self-styled  Natalie  was  the  illegitimate 
daughter  of  the  late  Prince  Thaddeus,  and  therefore 
legally  debarred  from  reigning. 

"  Mother  of  God !  can  this  be  true  ?  "  murmured  Bar 
bara,  with  anguish  at  her  heart. 

The  cardinal  did  not  deny  his  own  share  in  the  plot  by 
which  Barbara  had  been  raised  to  the  throne,  but  rather 
took  credit  to  himself  in  a  matter,  which,  as  he  fondly 
hoped,  would  tend  to  advance  the  interests  of  the  Catho 
lic  Church  in  Czernova.  He  concluded  by  stating  that  he 
lived  in  some  fear  of  the  princess,  who  viewed  him  with 
dislike,  as  being  the  sole  depositary  of  her  secret ;  there 
fore  if  he  should  be  arrested,  or  should  be  secretly  slain, 
or  should  mysteriously  disappear,  men  would  know  to 
whom  the  deed  should  be  ascribed. 

Barbara,  having  read  the  documents,  threw  them  upon 
the  fire,  and  watched  till  they  were  consumed. 

"  Nothing  now  remains,"  remarked  Zabern,  "  but  to 
arrest  the  cardinal  in  the  first  moment  of  his  return." 

"  There  is  another  who  threatens  my  safety.  When, 
marshal,  do  you  intend  to  seize  Lipski,  and  his  store  of 
arms?  " 

"  Not  till  the  day  before  the  coronation,  so  please  your 
Highness." 

"  Where  is  the  advantage  in  this  delay?  " 

"  Why,  thus.  If  we  arrest  Lipski  now  we  give  the 
enemy  opportunities  of  forming  new  plans,  and  of  col 
lecting  fresh  supplies  of  weapons,  whereas  a  raid  on  the 
very  eve  of  the  coronation  will  throw  the  plotters  into  a 
confusion,  from  which  they  will  not  have  time  to  recover." 

"  But  if  the  arms  should  be  carried  forth  before  the 
I4th  of  September?" 

"  My  spies  are  on  the  watch ;  of  course  if  that  should 
occur,  I  shall  have  to  antedate  my  raid.  Has  Radzivil 
informed  your  Highness  that  the  Czar  is  sending  his  rep 
resentative  to  attend  your  coronation?" 

322 


Nearing  a  Crisis 

"  The  same  ambassador  as  before,  the  insolent-tongued 
Orloff,  he  who  so  strangely  presumed  to  doubt  the  exist 
ence  of  our  Charter  ?  Let  the  court  marshal  appoint  him 
a  seat  near  the  high  altar,  whence  he  can  view  our  docu 
ment  at  his  leisure,  nay,  handle  it,  if  he  will,"  she  added. 

"  The  Charter!  "  muttered  Zabern,  grimly,  as  he  with 
drew  from  the  presence  of  Barbara.  "  The  Charter, 
humph ;  I  '11  not  add  to  your  present  anxieties,  princess, 
by  stating  the  truth.  Will  that  devil  of  an  Orloff  suspect 
my  manoeuvre  ?  " 

As  the  day  assigned  for  the  coronation  drew  near,  the 
ancient  and  stately  capital  of  Czernova  began  to  assume  a 
gala  aspect.  Flags  waved  in  every  street.  Bright  drapery 
wrought  with  mottoes  decked  the  walls.  Venetian  masts 
and  triumphal  arches  arose.  In  a  word,  all  things  deemed 
essential  to  a  great  state-pageant  were  in  due  course  of 
preparation. 

For  the  maintenance  of  order  troops  were  drafted  daily 
into  Slavowitz,  until  one  half  at  least  of  the  Czernovese 
army  was  quartered  in  various  parts  of  the  capital. 

The  Muscovite  populace,  disposed  at  first  to  be  wrath 
ful  at  the  holding  of  the  coronation  in  a  Catholic  edifice, 
moderated  their  ire  somewhat  on  learning  that  their  own 
Archpastor  Mosco  was  to  take  part  in  the  solemnity, 
while  the  great  cardinal,  the  object  of  their  hatred,  was  to 
be  entirely  excluded. 

Placards  containing  the  words  of  the  amended  corona 
tion  oath  were  posted  up  in  public  places,  that  all  might 
see  that  the  princess  would  pledge  herself  at  the  altar  to 
respect  the  rights  both  of  the  Greek  and  of  the  Latin 
churches. 

The  disaffected,  who  were  hoping  for  riots  on  the 
coronation  day,  seemed  fated  to  meet  with  disappoint 
ment,  owing  to  the  judicious  and  pacificatory  policy  of 
the  princess's  ministry. 

That  ministry  took  courage,  and  anticipated,  nay,  were 
323 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

confident,  that  the  great  day  would  pass  off  without 
disturbance. 

Then  came  a  bolt  from  the  blue! 

Early  on  the  morning  of  the  day  prior  to  the  corona 
tion,  Radzivil  and  Zabern  sought  the  presence  of  the 
princess. 

"  Your  Highness,"  said  the  premier,  "  a  Russian  army 
of  one  hundred  thousand  men  is  assembling  at  Zamoska." 

Zamoska,  distant  but  six  miles  from  the  frontiers  of 
Czernova ! 

"  A  Russian  army  at  Zamoska?  "  repeated  Barbara. 

"  And  commanded  by  the  Czar  in  person,"  added 
Radzivil. 

"  What  is  the  Czar's  object  in  mustering  his  troops  so 
near  our  own  borders  ?  " 

"  When  the  news  reached  us  late  last  night,"  said  the 
premier,  "  your  ladies  reported  that  you  were  in  so  sweet 
a  sleep  that  it  would  be  wrong  to  disturb  you.  I  therefore 
took  upon  myself  to  send  an  envoy  in  your  name  to  the 
Czar  to  inquire  the  reason  for  this  massing  of  troops  so 
close  to  our  frontiers." 

"  You  did  quite  right,  my  lord.  Has  the  messenger 
returned  ?  " 

"  A  few  minutes  ago.  And  the  explanation  given  is 
that  the  Russian  army  is  gathering  at  Zamoska  for  the 
autumn  manoeuvres." 

"  You  do  not  believe  this  story  ?  "  said  the  princess, 
turning  to  Zabern. 

"  Princess,  no.  You  must  nerve  yourself  to  bear  the 
truth.  In  my  opinion  the  Czar  is  assembling  his  forces  for 
the  purpose  of  preventing  your  Highness's  coronation." 

"By  what  right?"  exclaimed  Barbara,  with  flashing 
eyes,  and  Zabern  was  glad  to  see  that  she  who  had  most 
reason  for  fear  showed  far  more  spirit  than  Radzivil ; 
"by  what  right?" 

"  By  that  right  ever  recognized  by  the  world  —  the 
324 


Nearing  a  Crisis 

right  of  the  strong,"  returned  Zabern.  "  By  open  diplo 
macy  and  by  secret  intrigue,  Russia  has  failed  to  sap  the 
independence  of  Czernova ;  therefore  she  now  resorts  to 
the  sword." 

"  And  the  foe  without  will  be  aided  by  traitors  within," 
murmured  the  princess. 

"  If,"  said  Zabern,  with  a  glance  of  inquiry  at  Barbara, 
"  if  the  Russians  should  enter  our  territory — ?  " 

"  We  shall  not  cry  '  quarter.'  We  shall  meet  them  in 
arms." 

"  But,  your  Highness,"  remonstrated  Radzivil,  in  a 
tone  of  dismay,  "  what  hope  have  we  of  defeating  them?  " 

"  Very  little,"  replied  Barbara,  "  but  what  then,  Count? 
Would  you  have  me  be  as  a  saint  upon  cathedral  window 
with  folded  hands  and  downcast  eyes?  Meekly  submit 
to  see  my  realm  filched  from  me?  Never!  So  long  as 
there  shall  remain  to  me  a  man  and  a  musket,  so  long  will 
I  offer  resistance." 

"  Will  not  your  Highness  assemble  the  cabinet  and  the 
Diet  ?  "  asked  the  premier. 

"  And  listen  to  timid,  divided,  or  traitorous  counsels  ? 
No !  Marshal,  you  are  the  head  of  the  army ;  give  im 
mediate  orders  for  our  troops  to  proceed  to  the  frontier. 
Take  what  steps  you  deem  best  for  the  defence  of  the 
principality." 

"  Shall  your  Highness  delay  your  coronation  ? "  in 
quired  Radzivil. 

"  And  show  Russia  that  we  fear  her  ?  No.  Let  not 
the  ceremony  be  delayed  by  so  little  as  one  hour.  And 
when  the  solemnity  is  over  then  will  I  proceed  direct  from 
the  cathedral  to  the  camp.  To  arms !  To  arms !  This 
last  fragment  of  Poland  shall  not  fall  without  making 
a  valiant  stand." 

"  There  spake  the  spirit  of  your  ancestors,  the  Jagel- 
lons,"  said  Zabern.  "  Princess,  you  should  have  been 
born  a  man." 

325 


CHAPTER    XV 

THE    EVE   OF   THE    CORONATION 

THE  dusk  of  a  lovely  autumnal  eve  had  fallen  over 
Slavowitz.  Lights  were  beginning  to  twinkle 
along  the  boulevards. 

The  preparations  for  the  coronation  were  complete. 
The  clinking  of  the  carpenter's  hammer  had  ceased ;  the 
last  bench  had  been  put  up ;  the  last  flag  hung  out.  The 
streets  had  become  fairy  arcades  festooned  with  flowers 
and  colored  lamps. 

Crowds  of  sight-seers  were  abroad  viewing  the  city 
decorations. 

A  numerous  throng,  composed  principally  of  peasants 
from  the  more  remote  parts  of  Czernova,  and  who  had 
never  before  seen  their  princess,  moved  to  and  fro  in  front 
of  the  Vistula  Palace,  calling  for  a  sight  of  their  fair 
/uler;  and  Barbara,  responsive  to  their  desire,  appeared 
at  intervals  on  the  balcony  smiling  her  acknowledgments, 
and  occasionally  waving  a  scarf  —  an  action  which  drew 
forth  rounds  of  applause. 

The  gayly  decorated  capital,  brilliant  with  light,  reso 
nant  on  all  sides  with  song  and  music,  alive  with  an  ever- 
moving,  laughing  populace,  formed  a  picture  difficult  to 
associate  with  coming  disaster. 

"  So  hath  many  a  city  looked  on  the  eve  of  its  fall," 
murmured  Barbara,  as  she  turned  away  from  the  win 
dow.  "  Oh,  Paul,  why  are  you  not  with  me  ?  If  you  have 
a  plan  for  the  salvation  of  Czernova,  now  is  the  time  for 
putting  it  forth." 

326 


The  Eve  of  the  Coronation 

By  means  of  swift  couriers  despatched  at  intervals  of 
every  hour  the  princess  was  kept  informed  of  the  move 
ments  that  were  taking  place  along  the  frontier. 

Early  in  the  day  the  Russian  army  —  horse,  foot,  and 
artillery  —  with  the  Czar  Nicholas  at  its  head,  had  set 
forward  from  Zamoska,  and  was  now  encamping  within 
a  mile  of  the  Czernovese  border.  East  and  west  for  many 
a  furlong  stretched  the  armed  line  of  one  hundred  thou 
sand  men.  The  Paulovski  and  Semenovski  Guards  were 
there,  the  most  splendid  in  the  imperial  service ;  as  well 
as  the  Tartar  Guards,  the  Finland  Guards,  and  other 
regiments  drawn  from  the  motley  nationalities  that  com 
pose  the  vast  empire  of  the  Czar.  Picturesque  Circas 
sians,  clad  in  silver  mail,  and  mounted  upon  fiery  steeds, 
pranced  proudly  along  to  the  camping-ground  marked 
out  for  them,  discharging  their  pistols  at  the  sun  in  the 
exuberance  of  their  glee  at  the  prospect  of  fighting  and 
pillage. 

Wild-looking  Cossacks  riding  shaggy  ponies  were  con 
tinually  galloping  up  to  the  frontier-line  with  defiant  cries 
as  if  challenging  the  Czernovese  sentinels  to  fire ;  after 
which,  with  a  menacing  flourish  of  their  lances  they 
would  career  back  to  their  own  camp. 

Russian  generals,  stately  and  bearded,  could  be  seen 
standing  on  various  points  of  elevated  ground,  coolly 
reconnoitring  through  field-glasses,  and  studying  the  to 
pography  of  Czernova,  as  if  purposing  to  conduct  a  cam 
paign  in  the  principality. 

Two  envoys  successively  despatched  by  the  princess  to 
the  Russian  camp  to  inquire  into  the  meaning  of  these 
sinister  doings  had  failed  to  return.  The  obvious  con 
clusion  was  that  they  had  been  forcibly  detained. 

Barbara  had  resolved  at  all  hazards  to  defend  her 
throne;  and  accordingly,  while  a  body  of  ten  thousand 
troops  was  retained  at  Slavowitz  for  the  preservation  of 
order  during  the  coronation,  a  second  division  of  ten 

327 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

thousand,  with  Dorislas  in  command,  had  made  their  way 
to  the  frontier.  Under  the  personal  supervision  of  Za- 
bern,  artillery  had  been  planted  upon  all  the  strategic 
points  that  commanded  the  road  to  Slavowitz. 

It  was  a  critical  time.  The  Czernovese  army  lay  en 
camped  within  sight  of  a  force  whose  numerical  superi 
ority  was  as  ten  to  one.  On  each  side  of  the  frontier 
Polish  and  Russian  sentinels  paced  not  one  hundred 
yards  apart;  a  chance  shot  from  either  side  might  easily 
bring  on  hostilities. 

The  princess's  ministry  lived  in  hourly  dread  of  inva 
sion,  and  though  striving  to  put  a  bold  front  upon  the 
matter,  were  secretly  convinced  that  the  sands  of  Czerno 
vese  liberty  were  fast  running  out. 

In  the  midst  of  a  melancholy  revery,  Barbara  learned 
that  the  Duke  of  Bora  was  in  the  palace,  desirous  of  an 
interview  with  her.  She  was  not  unprepared  for  his  com 
ing,  and  stern  was  her  face  as  she  descended  to  the  White 
Saloon  where  the  duke  was  in  waiting. 

At  the  foot  of  the  staircase  she  was  met  by  the  captain 
of  the  palace-guard,  who  requested  the  watchword  for 
the  night;  and  taking  the  proffered  tablet,  the  princess 
returned  it  inscribed  with  the  words,  "  Fatherland  and 
Liberty." 

Lifting  her  eyes  she  perceived  Zabern  by  her  side. 

"  The  duke  has  come,"  she  whispered. 

"  All  is  ready,"  replied  the  marshal. 

As  Barbara  entered  the  White  Saloon,  the  duke  bowed 
with  a  scarcely  disguised  smile  of  triumph.  The  recent 
Russian  movement,  as  the  princess  had  secret  reason  to 
know,  was  directed  in  his  interests ;  with  pitying  grace 
he  came  as  a  sort  of  conqueror  to  make  his  terms  with 
her. 

Great  at  swordsmanship,  Bora  was  not  very  shrewd  in 
other  matters,  and  none  but  a  fool  would  have  ventured 
to  play  the  game  that  he  was  playing. 

328 


The  Eve  of  the  Coronation 

"  I  have  come,  fair  cousin,"  he  began,  undeterred  by 
her  cold  manner,  "  to  remind  you  of  your  promise  so 
frequently  made  —  your  promise  to  marry  me." 

Barbara  made  no  reply,  but  regarded  him  with  a  look 
of  sovereign  disdain  on  her  beautiful  face. 

"  It  is  true,"  continued  Bora,  airily,  "  that  you  gave 
what  you  were  pleased  to  call  your  final  decision  some 
weeks  ago ;  still,  the  logic  of  events  often  compels  one  to 
revoke  a  decision." 

"  And  why  do  you  deem  the  present  a  favorable  time 
for  renewing  your  suit?  What  is  this  logic  of  events?" 

Bora  smiled  mysteriously. 

"  I  will  say  no  more  than  this,"  he  remarked,  "  that 
you  will  certainly  live  to  regret  the  rejection  of  my 
suit." 

"  You  evade  my  question.  Let  me  then  express  what 
is  in  your  mind.  My  lord,  by  favor  of  the  Czar,  you  ex 
pect  to  reign  over  Czernova;  you  seek  to  usurp  my 
throne.  But  knowing  that  so  long  as  I  live,  your  throne 
would  always  be  insecure,  you  would  make  me  your  wife, 
not  from  love,  not  from  generosity  or  pity,  but  merely 
to  give  validity  to  your  title.  Have  I  not  read  your 
cowardly  motive  aright  ?  " 

She  had  —  accurately. 

Unaware  how  much  the  princess  had  learned  of  his 
secret  dealings,  the  fatuous  Bora  had  come  in  the  full 
assurance  that  the  approach  of  a  Russian  army  and  the 
consequent  rumors  of  annexation  would  have  disposed 
her  to  welcome  his  suit  as  a  means  of  retaining  her  throne. 
He  now  perceived  his  error.  The  princess  was  not  so 
timid  a  person  as  he  had  thought.  Her  stern  manner 
somewhat  alarmed  him.  He  began  to  regret  his  impru 
dence  in  thus  venturing  into  her  presence. 

"  In  short,  your  grace,  marriage  with  you  is  the  only 
thing  that  can  save  me  from  deposition.  Is  not  that  what 
you  would  say  ?  " 

329 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

"  You  reject  my  suit  ?  Good  !  Then  let  this  interview 
terminate,"  said  Bora,  rising  as  if  to  depart. 

The  princess  restrained  him  by  a  haughty  gesture. 

"  Keep  your  seat,  or  I  shall  call  the  guard." 

The  duke  obeyed,  trembling  now  for  his  own  safety. 
Never  had  he  seen  the  princess  looking  so  angry. 

"  Why,  during  the  past  twelve  months,  have  you  in 
sulted  me  with  vows  of  love,  with  offers  of  marriage?" 

"  Insulted  ?  Why  that  word  ?  "  said  the  duke,  striving 
to  conceal  his  alarm  under  an  assumption  of  dignity. 

"  Because  while  simulating  affection  for  me  you  were 
secretly  intriguing  with  my  enemies." 

"  You  have  been  listening  to  the  aspersions  of  Zabern." 

"  I  have  been  listening  to  the  words  of  Lipski.  Ah ! 
you  start,  my  lord,  and  well  you  may.  You  are  not  yet 
aware  —  for  the  affair  was  carried  out  very  quietly  — 
that  a  raid  was  made  this  afternoon  upon  Lipski's  prem 
ises.  His  cellars  were  found  to  contain  a  vast  store  of 
arms.  In  the  house,  too,  was  a  number  of  Russian  agents, 
among  them  the  spy,  Ivan  Russakoff.  Lipski  has  made 
full  confession." 

"  Of  what  ? "  muttered  the  duke,  looking  thunder 
struck  at  the  princess's  statement. 

"  Of  many  things.  Here  is  one.  About  a  twelve 
month  ago  there  was  established  a  new  journal  entitled 
the  '  Kolokol,'  mainly  devoted  to  the  libelling  of  myself 
and  to  the  stirring-up  of  civil  strife.  Before  the  founding 
of  that  newspaper  the  Muscovites  of  Russograd  were  as 
loyal  and  law-abiding  as  the  Poles  themselves ;  under  the 
influence  of  the  '  Kolokol/  however,  they  have  become 
restless,  disorderly,  inclined  to  sedition.  Was  that  well 
done,  John  Lilieski  ?  " 

"What  has  this  to  do  with  me?" 

"  Much,  for  though  Lipski  might  be  editor,  yet  he  who 
actually  owned  the  paper,  financed  it,  and  secretly  con 
trolled  its  policy  was  none  other  than  the  Duke  of  Bora." 

330 


The  Eve  of  the  Coronation 

"  A  fable  of  Lipski's,  invented  to  please  the  princess's 

ministers." 

"  We  will  see  whether  you  adhere  to  that  statement  in 
the  presence  of  Lipski,  for  you  shall  have  the  opportunity 
of  facing  your  accuser.  He  likewise  avers  that  his  meas 
ure,  the  Secular  Appropriation  Bill,  was  in  reality  your 
work ;  he  simply  acted  as  your  mouthpiece  in  the  Diet. 
The  money  with  which  he  corrupted  the  deputies  was 
supplied  by  you,  and  came  from  Orloff,  the  governor- 
general  of  Warsaw." 

"  A  falsehood.     I  affirm  the  story  to  be  a  falsehood." 

"  You  devised  a  plot  for  the  destruction  of  the  Czerno- 
vese  Charter.  You  wrote  to  Orloff  desiring  him  to  obtain 
the  Czar's  sanction  for  this  scheme  —  a  scheme  which 
was,  however,  happily  frustrated,"  added  Barbara,  not 
knowing  how  widely  she  erred  from  the  truth. 

"  Lipski  has  been  terrorized  into  saying  whatever  Za- 
bern  wishes,"  muttered  the  duke,  moistening  his  dry  lips 
with  his  tongue. 

He  saw  that  his  treason  had  become  known  and  proved ; 
and  for  such  treason  as  his  there  could  be  but  one  punish 
ment  —  death  !  He  glanced  around  the  apartment,  won 
dering  whether  her  guards  were  really  within  call.  In 
his  desperation  he  would  not  have  hesitated  at  slaying 
her,  if  by  that  deed  he  could  have  effected  his  escape. 

Barbara  drew  forth  a  handkerchief  marked  with  a 
dreadful  dark  stain.  Instead  of  regarding  it  with  a 
shudder  as  might  have  been  expected,  she  pressed  it  af 
fectionately  to  her  lips. 

"  The  blood  of  Trevisa,"  she  said  solemnly,  "  of  Tre- 
visa,  the  most  faithful  and  loyal  of  my  servants  —  slain 
at  your  instigation.  Russakoff  was  paid  to  do  the  deed  by 
Lipski,  but  Lipski  took  his  instructions  from  the  Duke 
of  Bora." 

"  It 's  a  lie." 

"  Katina  Ludovska,  though  at  the  time  she  did  not 
331 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

clearly  see  Lipski's  face,  has  to-day  recognized  him  by 
his  voice,  as  the  man  who  at  the  inn  —  Sobieski's  Rest  — 
offered  to  Russakoff  the  bribe  of  four  hundred  roubles. 
I  have  had  Lipski  brought  here  purposely  to  meet  you. 
He  is  in  the  palace  at  the  present  moment.  Your  grace, 
come  with  me,"  said  the  princess,  rising  and  motioning 
Bora  to  follow  her.  "  Let  me  see  you  meet  him  with  a 
denial.  None  more  glad  than  I  if  you  will  do  this.  Come. 
Dare  you  ?  " 

It  seemed  not.  He  shrank  back  from  accompanying 
the  princess  to  the  adjoining  ante-room,  where  sat  both 
his  miserable  accomplice  Lipski  and  the  equally  miserable 
Russakoff,  each  under  the  guard  of  a  quaternion  of 
soldiers. 

"  You  virtually  admit  your  guilt  in  refusing  to  face 
your  accuser.  The  muskets  found  on  Lipski's  premises 
have  been  surreptitiously  forwarded  by  Orloff  with  your 
knowledge  and  approval.  To-morrow  before  break  of 
day  those  arms  were  to  have  been  distributed  to  a  Musco 
vite  mob  rendered  valiant  by  copious  supplies  of  vodka. 
At  a  certain  point  along  the  intended  route  of  the  coro 
nation  procession,  barricades  were  to  be  thrown  up,  and 
when  firing  and  rioting  had  begun,  a  message  was  to  be 
despatched  to  the  camp  of  the  Czar,  urging  him  to  come 
and  save  the  Muscovites  from  massacre  at  the  hands  of 
the  Poles.  And  the  Czar,  responsive  to  the  appeal,  would 
come  to  establish  in  Czernova  what  he  would  call  a  stable 
government,  its  stability  to  consist  in  the  acceptance  of 
his  own  suzerainty  and  in  the  establishment  of  his  kins 
man  Bora  upon  the  throne.  The  deposed  princess  might 
marry  Bora,  if  she  chose;  if  not,  there  is  in  Ladoga's 
gray  lake  an  island  fortress  named  Schlusselburg ;  there 
let  her  pass  the  remainder  of  her  days.  Such  is  the  pro 
gramme  you  would  fain  carry  out  to-morrow.  My  lord 
of  Bora,  you  have  played  a  dark  game;  it  is  time  you 
received  your  reward." 

332 


The  Eve  of  the  Coronation 

The  princess  clapped  her  hands  quickly,  and  at  the 
sound  every  door  of  the  White  Saloon  opened  and 
through  each  there  came  marching-  a  file  of  soldiers,  two 
abreast.  With  quick  silent  footfall  they  advanced  over 
the  velvet  carpet,  and  with  a  thrill  of  awe  the  duke  per 
ceived  that  all  were  carrying  their  arms  reversed  as  at  a 
funeral. 

Deploying  in  their  advance  the  files  so  moved  as  to 
form  a  double  ring  around  the  princess  and  the  duke,  and 
there  they  stood,  terrible  in  their  rigidity  and  silence. 

The  circle  gave  way  and  Zabern  appeared,  a  chilling 
glare  in  his  eye.  At  a  sign  from  him  one  soldier  with  a 
swift  motion  pulled  the  duke's  hands  behind  him,  and  in 
a  moment  more  had  corded  his  wrists,  while  a  second 
pinned  upon  his  breast  a  piece  of  white  satin  in  shape  like 
a  heart. 

At  sight  of  this  dreadful  fabric  designed  to  direct  the 
aim  of  a  firing  party,  the  duke's  courage  fled ;  his  knees 
smote  together ;  he  grew  white  to  the  very  lips. 

Only  ten  miles  distant  were  one  hundred  thousand  men 
ready  to  assist  him  to  a  throne ;  for  all  the  aid  they  could 
now  give  him  they  might  as  well  have  been  situated  in  the 
planet  Mars. 

'  The  firing-party  awaits  you  in  the  quadrangle,"  said 
Zabern,  as  the  guards  closed  up  around  the  duke. 
"  Forward !  " 

"  Have  a  care  what  you  do,  Cousin  Natalie,"  said  Bora, 
scarcely  able  to  speak  from  fear.  "  You  will  have  to 
answer  to  the  Czar  for  this." 

"  You  speak  treason  with  your  last  breath,"  said  Bar 
bara.  "  Answer  to  the  Czar  for  executing  a  traitor  in  my 
own  principality!  What  jurisdiction  hath  the  Czar  in 
Czernova?  " 

"  Traitor !  "  cried  Zabern,  fiercely.  "  I  would  stab  you 
with  my  own  hand,  though  the  Czar  himself  were  by.  To 
the  quadrangle  —  forward  !  " 

333 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

The  murmur  of  the  restless  populace  without  pene 
trated  to  the  interior  of  the  palace,  and  was  heard  by  the 
wretched  duke.  Was  he  to  die  with  the  sound  of  the 
coronation-mirth  ringing  in  his  ears? 

In  the  ante-chamber  Zabern  halted  his  troop  and  re 
turned  to  the  side  of  the  princess. 

"  This  instrument  lacks  your  Highness's  signature," 
he  remarked,  presenting  her  with  the  warrant  for  the 
duke's  execution. 

"  On  occasions  such  as  this,"  murmured  Barbara,  tak 
ing  the  document,  "  one  is  tempted  to  say  with  Saint 
Vladimir,  '  Who  am  I  that  I  should  shed  blood  ? ' : 

"  And  yet  Vladimir  shed  a  good  deal,  if  history  speak 
truth,"  responded  Zabern,  "  and  therefore  became  he  a 
saint  after  Russia's  own  heart.  Your  Highness,  this  is 
no  time  for  pity.  It  is  a  question  of  your  life  or  the 
duke." 

The  princess  appended  a  name  to  the  warrant. 

"  I  fear,"  observed  Zabern,  with  a  grave  smile,  "  that 
the  captain  of  the  firing-party  will  question  the  authority 
of  that  signature." 

The  princess  looked,  and  to  her  surprise  saw  that  she 
had  subscribed  herself  not  "  Natalie  Lilieski,"  but  "  Bar 
bara  Tressilian ! "  She  had  unwittingly  written  her 
mother's  maiden  name. 

She  did  not  erase  the  signature,  but  proceeded  to  indite 
a  fresh  warrant.  She  wrote  very  slowly,  pondering  as 
she  wrote.  What  would  the  real  Natalie  have  thought, 
said,  or  clone,  if  she  were  living  now  and  saw  her  elder 
sister  signing  the  death-warrant  of  her  lover? 

With  a  sigh  she  handed  the  document  to  the  marshal, 
who  immediately  returned  it  with  a  very  strange  look. 
And  there,  staring  at  her  from  the  paper,  were  the  self 
same  words  as  before  —  "  Barbara  Tressilian !  " 

The  princess  had  her  superstitious  moments,  and  this 
was  one  of  them.  That  she  should  unintentionally  have 

334 


The  Eve  of  the  Coronation 

written  the  same  twice  seemed  a  confirmation  of  the 
misgiving  that  had  troubled  her  for  several  weeks. 

;'  This  is  the  hand  of  heaven,"  she  murmured,  in  a  tone 
of  awe,  and  laying  down  the  pen.  "  Are  not  the  illegiti 
mate  always  called  after  their  mother?  I  have  written 
my  true  name.  Marshal,"  she  added  in  a  fearful  whisper, 
"  it  is  Bora  who  should  be  on  the  throne,  and  I  should  be 
the  prisoner  of  the  Citadel." 

"  Your  Highness,  do  not  talk  thus." 

But  Barbara  paid  little  heed. 

"  I  am  tempted  to  summon  the  Diet,  even  at  this  late 
hour,  and  to  reveal  to  them  my  secret  history,  the  whole 
miserable  story  of  my  birth." 

"  You  will  bring  ruin  on  Czernova  if  you  do.  What 
guarantee  have  you  that  the  cardinal's  story  is  true?" 

"  This,"  replied  Barbara,  pointing  to  her  signature  on 
the  death-warrant. 

The  marshal  shrugged  his  shoulders  deprecatingly. 

"  And  therefore,  because  you  suspect  yourself  to  be  of 
illicit  birth,  you  would  tender  your  diadem  to  an  assassin 
and  a  traitor.  Then  let  the  Czar  himself  lay  down  his 
power ;  true,  he  is  the  son  of  the  Emperor  Paul,  but  was 
Paul  really  the  child  of  Peter  III.  ?  Catherine  and  Solti- 
koff,  the  chamberlain,  could  best  answer  that  question. 
Princess,  you  are  over-scrupulous.  Your  title  to  the 
throne  is  founded  on  a  better  right  than  that  of  the  acci 
dent  of  birth.  The  sovereign  rules  by  the  will  of  the 
people,  and  are  not  the  majority  on  your  side?  If  the 
princely  office  were  made  elective,  is  there  any  candidate 
who  would  have  the  least  chance  of  success  against  your 
self  ?  And,  vox  populi,  vox  Dei.  What  other  sanction  do 
you  require?  " 

'  The  sanction  of  my  own  conscience.  And  to-morrow 
—  to-morrow,"  she  murmured  in  a  tone  of  distress, 
"  after  taking  the  Holy  Sacrament  I  must  lay  my  hand 
upon  the  Charter  —  " 

335 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

"  Upon  a  forged  document,  rather,"  muttered  Zabern, 
grimly  to  himself. 

"  And  declare  that  '  I,  Natalie  Lilieska,  do  solemnly 
vow  '  to  maintain  its  provisions,  knowing  that  I  am  not 
Natalie  Lilieska.  No,  Zabern,  I  cannot  —  I  will  not 
utter  this  falsehood." 

"  Then  let  the  Pope  avow  himself  a  liar  when  in  solemn 
conclave  he  assumes  the  style  of  Pio  Nono,  and  ignores 
his  true  name  of  Giovanni  Mastai." 

"  All  men  know  of  the  Pope's  change  of  name ;  there  is 
no  attempt  at  deception ;  but  I  claim  to  be  other  than  I 
am.  If  I  were  certain  of  illegitimacy  I  would  resign 
my  power  this  very  night." 

"  I  see  quite  plainly,"  said  Zabern,  speaking  with  more 
freedom  than  he  had  hitherto  employed  towards  the  prin 
cess,  "  that  if  Czernova  were  handed  over  to  the  Czar,  and 
your  faithful  ministers  sent  to  Siberia,  you  would  be  very 
well  content." 

As  he  spoke  the  marshal  drew  his  sabre. 

"  Do  you  bid  me  break  the  sword  that  has  been  so  long 
used  in  the  Polish  cause?  Must  I  retire  hence  to  aid  the 
Hungarians,  to  obtain  that  freedom  which  you  would 
deny  to  us  in  Czernova  ?  " 

"  No,  marshal,  no ;  we  must  not  part.  I  will  stand  by 
those  who  have  stood  by  me.  Clinging  to  the  hope  that 
there  is  no  dishonor  on  my  name,  I  will  hold  to  my 
crown." 

"  A  wise  decision,  princess,"  replied  Zabern,  consider 
ably  relieved  by  her  words.  "  And  now  as  to  the  duke's 
execution." 

"  What,  marshal?  Would  you  have  me  sign  his  death- 
warrant  when  I  am  doubtful  of  my  right  to  rule  ?  —  and 
sign  it,  too,  in  the  name  of  one,  who,  strange  as  it  may 
seem  to  us,  loved  him  ?  No,  I  cannot  sign  this  document 
with  the  name  of  Natalie." 

"  But  your  Highness  cannot  sign  it  with  any  other." 
336 


The  Eve  of  the  Coronation 

"  Then  I  will  not  sign  it  at  all." 

"  I  greatly  fear  that  your  Highness  will  live  to  regret 
this  clemency." 

"  Be  it  so." 

The  first  glow  of  Barbara's  anger  had  passed,  and  she 
listened  to  the  voice  of  prudence.  Though  the  duke  richly 
merited  death,  yet  his  execution  without  trial  would  give 
the  Czar  a  very  convenient  pretext  for  intervening  in  the 
affairs  of  Czernova. 

"  By  shooting  the  duke  I  make  the  Czar  the  heir  to  my 
crown/"  said  Barbara.  "  By  retaining  him  alive  I  may  be 
able  to  make  use  of  his  person  as  a  pawn  on  the  political 
chessboard.  Imprisonment  will  be  the  wiser  course. 
Remove  the  duke  to  the  Citadel." 

And  inasmuch  as  the  marshal  recognized  Barbara  as 
his  princess,  he  had  of  necessity  to  obey. 

When  Zabern  had  seen  the  duke  securely  lodged  in 
a  cell  of  the  Citadel,  he  returned  to  the  White  Sa 
loon,  where  Barbara  still  lingered,  wrapt  in  melancholy 
thought. 

"  Your  Highness,  on  entering  the  palace  this  note  was 
put  into  my  hands." 

Barbara  glanced  at  the  missive  and  saw  that  it  con 
tained  the  following  words :  "  Marshal,  will  you  accord 
the  bearer  of  this  an  interview  with  the  princess  ?  — 
PAUL  WOODVILLE." 

Barbara's  melancholy  vanished  as  if  by  enchantment. 
Two  months  had  now  elapsed  since  Paul's  departure,  and 
during  that  time  she  had  received  no  message  from  him. 
Now  at  last  there  seemed  to  be  tidings. 

"  Who  is  the  bearer,  marshal  ?  " 

"  One  returned  from  the  dead.  A  woman  calling  her 
self  '  Jacintha  of  Castel  Nuovo.'  She  is  in  the  ante 
room  at  the  present  moment  awaiting  your  Highness's 
pleasure." 

The  mention  of  the  name  "  Jacintha  "  almost  drew  a 
22  337 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

scream  from  the  princess.  She  ordered  the  visitor  to  be 
instantly  admitted. 

Barbara's  character  was  not  marked  by  the  false  pride 
that  is  too  often  the  accompaniment  of  rank  and  wealth. 
She  welcomed  her  humble  visitor  as  warmly  as  she  would 
have  welcomed  a  queen  or  empress.  Jacintha  had  nursed 
her  back  to  life,  and  Barbara,  mindful  of  this  service,  was 
delighted  to  have  the  opportunity  of  making  some  return. 

"  My  lady  —  your  Highness,  I  should  say,"  began 
Jacintha,  sinking  upon  her  knees,  "  it  is  very  untimely  on 
my  part  to  visit  you  on  the  eve  of  your  coronation,  when 
you  are  occupied  — 

"  My  dear  old  nurse,"  said  Barbara,  raising  Jacintha  up 
with  a  winning  smile,  "  let  me  whisper  a  secret  to  you.  I 
want  to  forget  my  coronation,  and  your  presence  will 
make  me  forget  it.  Sit  here  beside  me,  and  let  us  talk  of 
the  old  days  at  Castel  Nuovo." 

Zabern  would  have  withdrawn,  but  the  princess  bade 
him  stay. 

"  I  had  thought,"  continued  Barbara,  "  that  you  had 
perished  in  that  dreadful  earthquake.  And  Lambro? 
Is  he  alive?  " 

"  No,  my  la —  your  Highness.  We  were  outside  the 
castle  at  the  time  of  the  calamity,  for  some  previous  rum 
blings  had  alarmed  us.  When  the  great  shock  came 
Lambro  slipped  into  a  fissure  that  opened  beneath  his 
feet.  He  went  down  before  my  very  eyes,  and  the  earth 
closed  over  him  immediately.  How  I  myself  escaped  I 
cannot  tell,  for  the  ground  was  opening  and  closing  all 
around  me." 

"  Poor  Lambro !  "  sighed  Barbara,  who  had  always  en 
tertained  a  liking  for  the  old  Palicar,  not  knowing  how 
little  he  deserved  her  friendship.  "  And  where  have 
you  been  living  during  the  two  past  years  ?  " 

Jacintha's  story,  briefly  stated,  was  as  follows.  After 
the  earthquake  she  had  made  her  way  to  Trieste,  and 

338 


The  Eve  of  the  Coronation 

thence  by  steamer  to  England.  Within  a  few  weeks  of 
her  return  she  had  had  the  good  fortune  to  become  house 
keeper  in  one  of  the  ancient  halls  of  Kent. 

"  But  now  will  you  not  remain  with  me  ?  "  smiled  the 
princess. 

"  Your  Highness  will  not  wish  it  after  you  have  heard 
the  whole  of  my  story,"  replied  Jacintha,  and  the  strange 
look  which  accompanied  her  words  somehow  caused  all 
Barbara's  gladness  to  die  away. 

A  few  days  previously  Jacintha's  master  had  bidden 
her  prepare  for  the  coming  of  one  of  his  friends,  Captain 
Woodville  by  name.  What  was  her  amazement  to  find  in 
her  visitor  none  other  than  Captain  Cressingham,  who  on 
his  part  was  equally  astounded  at  meeting  Jacintha.  Paul 
immediately  fell  to  talking  of  the  old  days  at  Castel 
Nuovo,  and,  among  other  matters,  he  questioned  Jacintha 
closely  as  to  the  young  lady  who  had  visited  the  castle 
under  the  escort  of  Cardinal  Ravenna.  Jacintha  learnt 
from  Paul  that  this  lady  was  in  reality  the  half-sister  of 
Barbara,  and  that  both  held  the  rank  of  princess.  Then  it 
was  that  Jacintha  resolved  to  tell  Paul  the  true  story  of 
Natalie's  death. 

"  Ha !  "  muttered  Zabern,  foreseeing  that  his  dark  sus 
picion  was  about  to  be  verified. 

"  And  Captain  Woodville  has  sent  you  here  to  tell  it  to 
me  likewise  —  is  it  not  so  ?  "  asked  Barbara. 

"  Yes,  your  Highness.  I  wanted  to  put  the  story  into 
writing,  that  you  might  learn  it  in  that  way.  I  wanted 
Captain  Cressingham  himself  to  tell  it  to  you.  But  no; 
he  said  it  was  better  that  you  should  hear  it  from  my  lips, 
and  he  prevailed  upon  me  to  come  here." 

"  Go  on,  Jacintha,"  said  Barbara  encouragingly,  for 
Jacintha  seemed  very  loath  to  proceed. 

"  Your  Highness,  it  is  no  wonder  that  the  earthquake 
came  to  swallow  up  the  castle,  for  wicked  doings  took 
place  there.  But  do  not  blame  me  for  my  association  with 

339 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

them.  I  loathed  my  position  there,  and  would  have  run 
away,  but  for  the  fear  of  Lambro  and  his  mastiffs. 
Now  that  you  are  a  great  princess,  you  will  perhaps  pun 
ish  me  when  you  shall  have  heard  the  truth." 

"  Captain  Woodville  would  not  have  sent  you  all  the 
way  to  Czernova,  if  he  had  thought  that  I  should  punish 
you.  Tell  me  the  story  of  my  sister's  death.  You  have 
my  word  beforehand  that  no  hurt  shall  happen  to  you." 

And  Jacintha  with  a  faltering  tongue  began  a  story,  the 
recital  of  which  caused  Barbara  to  thrill  with  horror. 

"  O  Natalie,  my  sister !  my  sister !  "  she  murmured, 
when  Jacintha  had  finished.  "  But  for  the  cardinal,  you 
would  still  be  living.  His  guilty  love  has  driven  one 
sister  to  suicide,  and  now,  opposed  in  his  wicked  desires, 
he  seeks  to  destroy  the  other.  How  can  heaven  permit 
this  man  to  live?  Bora's  guilt  is  innocence  compared 
with  the  guilt  of  Ravenna." 

Powerless  to  allay  the  princess's  grief,  Zabern  could 
only  watch  her  in  sympathizing  silence,  and  mentally  re 
new  his  vows  of  vengeance  upon  the  cardinal.  So  full 
was  Barbara  of  this  new  sorrow  that  she  seemed  to  have 
forgotten  Paul ;  at  least  she  made  no  inquiries  about  him. 

Zabern,  however,  leading  Jacintha  aside,  quietly  ques 
tioned  her  as  to  the  movements  of  the  princess's  late  sec 
retary.  It  appeared  that  Paul  had  accompanied  Jacintha 
as  far  as  Berlin,  and  had  there  put  her  in  a  train  bound 
for  Czernova ;  seized  with  a  sudden  illness  on  the  way, 
she  had  been  removed  from  the  carriage  at  the  first  stop 
ping-place,  and  this  circumsiance  had  delayed  her  arrival 
in  Czernova  by  several  days.  Paul  himself,  on  parting 
from  her,  was  going  direct  to  St.  Petersburg,  a  statement 
which  Zabern  received  with  incredulity. 

"St.  Petersburg?     Are  you  certain?" 

Yes,  Jacintha  was  quite  certain. 

"  St.  Petersburg,"  muttered  Zabern.  "  Not  three 
months  ago  the  Russians  were  demanding  his  extradition, 

340 


The  Eve  of  the  Coronation 

and  now  does  he  venture  into  the  country  of  his  enemies  ? 
If  his  passport  is  made  out  in  the  name  of  Paul  Wood- 
ville,  he  is  a  doomed  man ;  they  will  never  let  the  de 
fender  of  Tajapore  depart.  This  is  something  I  can't 
understand." 

Though  closely  interrogated  by  Zabern,  Jacintha  was 
unable  to  throw  any  light  upon  the  motives  that  had 
prompted  Paul  to  visit  Russia. 

The  marshal  paced  uneasily  to  and  fro. 

"  Captain  Woodville,"  he  murmured,  "  pledged  his 
solemn  word  to  be  in  Czernova  on  the  coronation  eve; 
for,  forewarned  by  me,  he  had  reason  to  believe  that  the 
princess's  crown  depended  upon  his  sword.  But  he  has 
not  yet  appeared.  His  absence  has  something  sinister  in 
it,  for  it  is  certain  that  he  would  be  here  if  he  could. 
True,  his  presence  in  one  sense  has  now  become  unnec 
essary,  inasmuch  as  the  duke  being  a  prisoner  in  the 
Citadel  will  be  unable  to  appear  in  the  cathedral  to-mor 
row  to  challenge  the  princess's  rights,  and  to  defy  her  to 
mortal  combat  by  deputy.  But  as  Woodville  can  know 
nothing  of  the  duke's  imprisonment,  why  does  he  not 
hasten  to  the  supposed  aid  of  the  princess?  I  greatly 
fear  that  our  champion  is  himself  a  prisoner." 

At  this  point  intimation  was  given  by  the  chamberlain 
that  one  of  Zabern's  familiars,  privileged  to  enter  the 
palace  at  all  hours,  was  in  the  anteroom,  desirous  of  a 
word  with  the  marshal. 

Zabern  withdrew  from  the  White  Saloon,  and  returned 
after  a  minute's  absence  with  the  tidings  for  which  he  had 
been  waiting  all  day. 

"  Your  Highness,  my  spy  appointed  to  watch  the  car 
dinal  in  his  journeying  to  and  fro  from  Rome  reports  that 
his  Eminence  has  just  arrived  at  Slavowitz,  bringing  with 
him  the  papal  bull  which  deposes  the  Princess  of  Czer 
nova,  and  absolves  her  subjects  from  their  allegiance." 

"  Say,  rather,  bringing  with  him  his  own  death-war- 
341 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

rant,"  cried  Barbara,  with  a  blaze  of  wrath  unusual  in 
her. 

"  Your  Highness  gives  me  leave  to  deal  with  the  car 
dinal  as  I  please,"  whispered  Zabern,  tapping  the  hilt  of 
his  sabre  significantly. 

Barbara  made  no  reply. 

The  marshal  interpreting  her  silence  as  consent,  stole 
quietly  from  the  apartment. 


342 


CHAPTER    XVI 

THE    CRIME   THAT   FAILED 

THE  coronation  eve  was  drawing  to  a  close  as 
Pasqual  Ravenna,  Cardinal  Archbishop  of  Czer- 
nova,  sat  in  the  library  of  his  archiepiscopal  palace 
in  company  with  a  young  priest,  Melchior  by  name. 

One  of  the  points  which  had  wounded  the  pride  of 
Ravenna  in  time  past  had  been  the  refusal  of  Abbot 
Faustus,  of  the  Convent  of  the  Transfiguration,  to  submit 
his  monastery  to  a  visit  of  inspection  from  the  cardinal. 
Though  ecclesiastically  the  superior,  Ravenna  was  unable 
to  enforce  compliance  from  the  sturdy  abbot,  who  claimed 
to  be  independent  in  virtue  of  an  ancient  bull  granted  by 
Pius  the  Second.  Even  a  mild  admonition  from  the 
regnant  Pope  had  failed  to  produce  any  effect. 

The  cardinal  had  begun  to  suspect  that  Faustus's  de 
fiance  was  prompted  by  other  motives  than  the  desire  to 
maintain  his  independence ;  there  was  some  secret  con 
nected  with  this  monastery,  a  secret  in  which  the  princess 
herself  was  involved ;  and  accordingly  he  had  deputed 
the  priest  Melchior,  whose  crafty  character  well  qualified 
him  for  the  work,  to  discover,  if  possible,  the  mystery  that 
lay  hidden  behind  the  walls  of  the  Convent  of  the  Trans 
figuration. 

And  now,  in  the  first  hour  of  the  cardinal's  return  from 
Rome,  Melchior  had  come  to  report  the  results  of  his 
investigations,  results  which  were  highly  satisfactory  to 
Ravenna. 

"  So,"  he  murmured,  when  the  other  had  unfolded  his 
343 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

discoveries,  "  a  conspiracy  for  the  emancipation  of  Po 
land,  a  conspiracy  to  which  Ravenna  must  not  be  ad 
mitted,  such  being  the  express  command  of  the  princess. 
'  The  cardinal  is  not  to  be  trusted.'  Ha !  The  place 
then  is  no  true  monastery  but  an  arsenal,  a  treasury,  and 
a  repository  for  treasonable  documents.  This  explains 
the  conduct  of  Faustus  in  excluding  me  from  his  con 
vent.  Favored  by  the  princess,  he  has  grown  insolent, 
and  would  usurp  my  place  at  the  coronation.  To-morrow 
he  will  rue  his  defiance  when  he  sees  his  monastery  in  the 
hands  of  Russian  soldiery.  The  Czar's  army  lies  con 
veniently  near  for  the  seizure.  How  did  you  learn  all 
these  details,  Melchior?" 

"  From  a  kinsman  of  mine,  a  monk  in  this  same  con 
vent.  In  a  conversation  with  him  I  stated  my  belief  that 
his  monastery  was  utilized  as  a  secret  rendezvous  for 
Polish  patriots.  After  some  hesitation  he  admitted  as 
much ;  and  then,  won  over  by  my  professions  of  patriot 
ism,  he  revealed  to  me  the  length  and  breadth  of  the 
conspiracy." 

"  Melchior,  you  have  done  well,  and  shall  not  go  unre 
warded." 

The  priest  expressed  his  gratitude  by  an  ugly  smile, 
and  then  with  a  look  of  cunning  he  continued,  — 

"  Your  Eminence,  I  have  discovered  something  more. 
We  Czernovese  have  lost  our  title  to  autonomy.  The 
Charter  has  been  destroyed,  and  the  princess's  ministers 
are  doing  their  best  to  keep  the  matter  a  secret." 

"  Ha !  how  do  you  know  this  ?  "  said  Ravenna,  sur 
prised  beyond  measure  at  the  statement. 

''  The  Charter  was  burnt  by  two  sentinels  whose  duty 
it  was  to  guard  the  Eagle  Tower.  They  were  traitors  in 
the  pay  of  Russia.  By  the  waving  of  a  blue  lamp  they 
signalled  the  successful  accomplishment  of  the  work  to 
a  confederate  concealed  in  the  palace  grounds,  who  im 
mediately  conveyed  the  news  to  Orloff,  the  governor  of 

344 


The  Crime  that  Failed 

Warsaw.  This  confederate  returned  to  Slavowitz  a  few 
weeks  ago.  He  is  a  Catholic,  it  seems,  regular  at  con 
fessional.  Being  troubled  with  the  thing  called  con 
science,  and  desiring  to  be  absolved  from  his  guilt,  he 
revealed  the  matter  to  his  father  confessor  Virgilius, 
who,  in  turn  — 

"  Revealed  it  to  you/'  interrupted  the  Cardinal,  his 
surprise  yielding  to  delight,  for  the  news  furnished  him 
with  another  weapon  to  be  used  against  the  princess. 
"  What  has  become  of  the  two  who  destroyed  the 
Charter?" 

"  They  have  never  been  seen  since  the  night  of  the 
deed.  Doubtless  they  are  now  in  Russia  enjoying  a  pen 
sion  from  the  Czar's  ministers.  Oh !  your  eminence, 
there  can  be  no  doubt  as  to  the  truth  of  the  story.  Orloff 
himself  came  as  envoy  to  Slavowitz ;  he  boldly  declared 
in  the  presence  of  the  princess  and  her  ministers  that  the 
Czernovese  Charter  was  a  myth,  and  non-existent ;  and 
—  here  is  the  significant  point  —  her  Highness  and  Za- 
bern  did  not  refute  him  by  producing  the  Charter,  but 
took  refuge  in  evasions." 

"  But,  Melchior,"  observed  the  cardinal  with  perplexed 
air,  "  you  must  be  in  error.  This  evening  the  iron  coffer 
containing  the  Charter  was  conveyed  to  the  Cathedral 
under  a  strong  guard  of  soldiers.  It  plays  a  part  in  the 
coronation-ritual." 

Melchior   smiled   caustically. 

"  Your  eminence,  three  little  circumstances  that  have 
happened  of  late  may  serve  to  throw  a  little  light  upon 
what  is  contained  in  that  coffer.  Firstly,  within  a  few 
days  after  the  destruction  of  the  Charter,  Zabern's  mis 
tress,  Katina  Ludovska,  made  purchase  of  some  parch 
ment  at  a  stationer's  in  the  Rue  de  Sobieski,  and  was 
very  critical  as  to  its  color,  texture,  and  the  like.  Sec 
ondly,  this  same  Katina  was  for  several  days  in  an  apart 
ment  of  the  Vistula  Palace  occupied  in  writing.  Thirdly, 

345 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

as  you  are  aware,  our  Museum  Czernovium  contains  a 
collection  of  historical  documents,  among  them  autograph 
letters  of  several  Czars,  and  —  what  is  more  pertinent  to 
the  occasion  —  an  imperial  ukase  bearing  the  signature, 
'  Bnit  po  semu,  Ickathrina.  —  Be  it  so,  Catherine.'  Your 
Eminence  will  doubtless  remember  that  our  Charter  ended 
with  these  same  words,  '  Buit  po  semu,  Ickathrina.'  Now 
it  is  a  curious  circumstance  that  this  imperial  ukase 
should  have  vanished  some  weeks  ago  from  its  glass  case 
in  the  Museum ;  the  curator  is  unable  to  account  for  its 
disappearance,  but  probably  Zabern  can." 

"You  mean — ?" 

"  That  any  one  wishing  to  imitate  the  signature  of 
Catherine  would  find  the  task  facilitated  by  having  this 
ukase  before  him.  Your  Eminence,  doubt  it  not  that  the 
document  to  be  laid  upon  the  altar  to-morrow  is  a  forgery. 
Count  Orloff  in  the  character  of  ambassador  will  be  pres 
ent  at  the  coronation.  A  word  to  him  — 

"Enough,"  interrupted  Ravenna  with  an  exultant  smile. 
"  This  shall  to  the  Czar.  Here  's  matter  sufficient  to  de 
pose  the  princess.  Within  twenty-four  hours  the  iron 
hand  of  Russia  will  be  pressing  the  principality." 

"  True.  And  yet,"  said  Melchior,  somewhat  puzzled  to 
account  for  his  master's  attitude,  "  and  yet  when  that  hap 
pens  what  place  will  there  be  for  a  Roman  archbishop?  " 

"  None :  and  therefore  after  to-morrow  I  quit  this 
barbarous  principality  for  Italy,  leaving  without  reluc 
tance,  for,  you  know,  I  never  was  a  Pole.  The  Pope  has 
appointed  me  to  the  See  of  Palestrina.  You  shall  accom 
pany  me,  Melchior,  and  the  first  rich  benefice  that  becomes 
vacant  in  my  diocese  shall  be  yours.  Italia,  Italia,"  said 
the  cardinal  with  a  glow  of  enthusiasm,  "  where  the  skies 
are  sunny,  the  wines  delicious,  and  the  women  — 

"  More  yielding  than  the  cold  dames  of  Czernova," 
smiled  Melchior,  well  acquainted  with  his  master's 
character. 

346 


The  Crime  that  Failed 

"  The  hour  is  late,  and  much  remains  to  be  done," 
observed  Ravenna.  "  Melchior,  you  will  call  upon  those 
of  the  clergy  whom  I  have  named,  and  request  their  at 
tendance  here  at  eight  in  the  morning  to  listen  to  a  re; 
script  from  the  Pope." 

The  priest  bowed  and  quitted  the  apartment. 

Left  alone,  the  cardinal  drew  writing-materials  towards 
himself,  and  proceeded  to  indite  a  letter,  a  letter  intended 
for  the  perusal  of  no  less  a  personage  than  the  Czar  Nich 
olas.  The  contents  of  the  missive  were  brief,  but  exceed 
ingly  weighty. 

In  leisurely  fashion,  Ravenna  went  over  what  he  had 

written,  and  seemingly  satisfied  with  the  composition,  he 

proceeded  to  fold  the  paper  several  times ;   then  selecting 

—  and   not   without   reason   as   the   sequel   proved  —  an 

extremely  small  envelope,  he  enclosed  the  letter  within  it. 

The  night  was  very  warm ;  and  the  windows  were  open 
to  catch  every  breath  of  air.  These  windows  overlooked 
the  gardens  in  the  rear  of  the  palace,  for  the  cardinal's 
library  lay  remote  from  the  public  street. 

The  sounds  of  distant  revelry  floated  faintly  on  the  air. 
The  Czernovese  were  not  disposed  to  retire  early  on  such 
a  festal  eve  as  this.  Many,  indeed,  were  spending  the 
night  in  the  streets  for  the  purpose  of  securing  a  place 
of  vantage  from  which  to  view  the  coronation  procession 
next  day. 

Ravenna  smiled  cynically  as  he  listened  to  the  murmur 
of  the  far-off  voices. 

'''  The  morrow  shall  see  your  mirth  turned  to  mourn 
ing,"  he  muttered. 

The  letter  accidentally  dropped  from  his  hand  as  he  was 
in  the  act  of  affixing  his  seal  of  the  paschal  lamb.  He  let 
it  lie,  while  with  closed  eyes  he  leaned  back  in  his  chair, 
picturing  his  triumph  of  the  morrow.  In  fancy  he  could 
see  the  princess  led  off,  a  pale,  silent,  drooping  captive 
under  an  escort  of  Russian  soldiers,  and  the  Duke  of  Bora 

347 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

enthroned  in  the  cathedral  amid  the  shouting  of  the  Czar's 
legions. 

"  Barbara  Lilieska,"  he  said  aloud,  and  with  his  eyes 
still  closed,  "  you  shall  regret  your  insolence  in  putting 
an  affront  upon  me  in  the  sight  of  Czernova." 

"  Don't  be  too  sure  of  that,"  said  an  ironical  voice. 

The  one  man  in  Czernova  whom  the  cardinal  least 
desired  to  see  on  this  particular  night  was  Zabern;  and 
yet  it  was  Zabern  who  had  spoken ! 

With  a  sudden  start  Ravenna  opened  his  eyes  to  find 
the  marshal  standing  with  folded  arms  upon  the  other 
side  of  the  table.  Behind  him  was  his  orderly,  Nikita.  A 
third  man,  a  trooper  named  Gabor,  was  in  the  act  of  lock 
ing  the  door  of  the  apartment.  Alive  to  his  peril,  the  car 
dinal  struck  repeatedly  at  a  bell  upon  the  table. 

"  Of  no  use,"  remarked  Zabern,  with  an  ice-cold  smile. 
"  There  is  no  one  in  the  house  but  your  steward,  who  is 
keeping  watch  at  the  foot  of  the  staircase.  He  has  lately 
become  a  spy  in  my  service.  He  has  just  dismissed  your 
household,  bidding  them  go  forth  to  view  the  city  decora 
tions.  They  will  not  return  for  an  hour  at  least  —  ample 
time  for  our  work." 

"  What  do  you  want  of  me  ?  " 

"Your  life." 

Ravenna  could  not  suppose  that  Zabern  had  come  for 
anything  else ;  nevertheless,  the  cool,  frank  avowal  sent 
the  blood  to  his  heart  with  a  rush. 

"  You  would  murder  me  ?  "  he  gasped. 

"  Call  it  murder  if  you  will.     Execution  is  my  term." 

"  What  is  my  trespass  ?  " 

; '  Stolen  waters  are  sweet.'  Strange  text  for  holy 
cardinal  to  address  to  youthful  princess.  You  compre 
hend  ?  Do  you  ask,  then,  why  you  should  die  ?  " 

So  all  was  known  to  these  men.  What  mercy  could  he 
expect?  He  glanced  from  one  to  the  other,  but  saw  no 
pity  in  their  stern,  set  faces.  The  trio  had  come  to  do  a 

348 


The  Crime  that  Failed 

bloody  work,  and  would  do  it.  He  strove  to  keep  a  cool 
head;  he  tried  to  reason  with  his  would-be  assassins. 

"  You  will  have  to  answer  for  what  you  do." 

"  To  the  saints  above  —  yes ;  and  I  am  ready.  At  the 
bar  of  God  I  '11  rest  my  title  to  heaven  pn  the  holy  deed  I 
do  to-night.  To  a  human  tribunal  —  no,  for  none  shall 
know  that  you  have  been  killed  by  others.  Behold !  " 

Zabern,  as  he  spoke,  drew  forth  a  small  cut-glass  phial, 
half-full  of  a  liquid  resembling  distilled  water.  The 
silver  cap  bore  the  inscription,  "  The  Manna  of  Saint 
Nicholas." 

"  Aqua  Tophania,"  continued  the  marshal.  "  Ah !  you 
start  ?  You  recognize  the  phial  ?  Yes,  it  has  been  taken 
from  a  secret  drawer  of  your  own  cabinet.  Why  a  holy 
cardinal  should  have  poison  in  his  possession  is  best  known 
to  himself.  I  can,  however,  testify  to  its  efficacy,  for  the 
condemned  criminal  upon  whom  I  experimented  to-day 
died  within  five  minutes.  Pasqual  Ravenna,  your  servants 
on  their  return  will  find  you  leaning  over  the  table  dead, 
clutching  this  empty  phial  in  your  hand.  To-morrow  all 
Slavowitz  will  be  discussing  the  suicide  of  the  cardinal 
archbishop.  Your  nephew,  Redwitz  of  Zamoska,  may 
send  off  his  three  sealed  packets,  and  very  much  surprised 
the  recipients  will  be  to  find  nothing  within  them  but 
blank  papers,  for  the  originals  have  been  abstracted,  read 
by  the  princess,  and  burnt." 

Like  one  dazed  by  a  heavy  blow,  Ravenna  stared  va 
cantly  at  the  speaker,  and  then  his  eye,  mechanically  sink 
ing  lighted  upon  something  white  near  his  feet.  It  was 
the  letter  that  he  had  recently  written.  The  sight  of  it 
suddenly  quickened  his  blood  and  suggested  a  plan  for 
outwitting  his  assassins.  He  was  still  seated  at  the  table, 
and  with  his  foot  he  gently  pushed  the  letter  forward  till 
it  lay  concealed  beneath  the  fringe  of  the  overhanging 
damask  cloth. 

Upon  the  table  itself  there  lay  before  him  a  document 
349 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

almost  as  dangerous  as  the  letter.  This  was  a  roll  of 
vellum  with  papal  seals  attached.  It  was  beyond  him  to 
conceal  this  document  from  Zabern,  whose  face  was  set 
upon  it  with  grim  satisfaction. 

"  What  have  we  here  ?  "  he  cried,  stooping  over  the 
table,  and  lifting  the  vellum.  "  The  papal  bull,  as  I  live," 
he  continued,  glancing  his  eye  rapidly  over  the  docu 
ment,  and  reading  snatches  from  it.  "  '  We,  Pio  Nono 
...  do  herewith  commission  our  faithful  brother  in 
Christ,  Pasqual  Ravenna '  —  Angels  of  light !  such 
names  mingled !  Christ  and  Ravenna !  —  '  commission 
him  to  pronounce  sentence  of  anathema  and  excommuni 
cation  against  the  so-called  Natalie  Lilieska,'  —  so- 
called,  so-called,"  muttered  Zabern,  stopping  in  his  read 
ing  with  a  sudden  fear,  and  hardly  daring  to  continue  the 
perusal ;  "  what  does  that  mean  ?  —  'in  that  while 
claiming  to  be  lawful  Princess  of  Czernova,  and  a 
daughter  of  the  True  Church,  she  is  an  impostor  who 
.  .  .'  Oh,  devil  that  you  are !  "  cried  Zabern,  breaking  off, 
and  grinding  his  teeth  in  anger,  "  so  you  have  told  that 
story  to  the  Pope  ?  " 

"  It  is  known  to  all  the  Vatican,"  replied  Ravenna, 
hoping  that  the  knowledge  of  the  fact  would  restrain 
Zabern  from  his  dreadful  purpose.  "  The  Pope  will 
understand  why  I  am  murdered,  and  to  whom  the  deed 
should  be  ascribed.  You  will  do  well  to  pause  and 
reflect." 

Zabern's  face  grew  terrible  in  its  expression,  as  he  real 
ized  the  desperate  strait  to  which  Barbara  was  now 
reduced.  If  the  Pope  were  master  of  her  secret,  not  only 
could  he  anathematize,  but  he  had  likewise  the  power  of 
deposing  her  whenever  he  chose. 

"  '  Pause  and  reflect '  ?  "  said  Zabern,  repeating  Ra 
venna's  words.  "  Why,  this  disposes  me  more  than  ever 
to  slay  you.  What  motive  have  I  for  keeping  you  alive? 
So,  cardinal,"  he  continued,  after  a  brief  pause,  "  you 

350 


The  Crime  that  Failed 

would  have  come  to  the  coronation,  robed  in  full  canon 
icals,  with  the  Latin  clergy  of  Czernova  at  your  back, 
to  interdict  Abbot  Faustus  from  performing  the  ceremony, 
to  read  the  Pope's  rescript,  and  to  anathematize  the  prin 
cess  with  bell,  book,  and  candle.  Vain  your  hopes !  This 
papal  bull  shall  not  be  read  in  the  cathedral  to-morrow, 
for  here  is  the  end  of  it." 

With  these  words  Zabern  raised  the  document  to  the 
flame  of  the  candelabrum,  and  there  held  it  till  the  vellum 
had  shrivelled  to  blackened  flakes. 

'  That  the  Pope  should  sign  his  name  to  such  rhodo- 
montade !  "  he  muttered  contemptuously.  "  He  threatens 
us ;  let  him  beware  of  his  own  downfall.  The  House  of 
Savoy  shall  be  our  avengers.  The  Sardinian  king  will 
never  rest  till  he  himself  shall  reign  at  Rome." 

A  prediction  destined  to  be  fulfilled. 

Zabern,  resolving  to  show  cause  for  the  slaying  of  Ra 
venna,  seated  himself  in  a  chair,  rested  his  elbow  upon 
the  table,  his  face  upon  his  hand,  and  glared  across  the 
crimson  damask. 

"  Cardinal,  when  you  told  the  Pope  that  story,  did  you 
tell  him  the  whole  of  it?  How  the  Princess  Natalie  met 
her  death,  for  example  ?  " 

"  The  Princess  Natalie  committed  suicide  at  Castel 
Nuovo." 

"  True ;  and  so  you  told  her  father,  Prince  Thaddeus, 
but  you  did  not  tell  him  her  reason  for  the  act.  Let  us 
hear  it." 

Ravenna  was  silent. 

"  The  truth  is  that  you  had  become  possessed  of  un 
hallowed  desires  towards  that  fair  princess  during  your 
tour  with  her  around  the  shores  of  the  Adriatic.  When 
at  Zara  you  proposed  a  visit  to  your  place,  Castel  Nuovo, 
and  the  princess,  doubting  nothing,  willingly  accompanied 
you.  While  there  you  made  certain  proposals  to  her, 
who  was  so  innocent  in  mind  that  she  failed  to  understand 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

you,  and  wonderingly  repeated  your  words  to  the  house 
keeper  Jacintha.  Full  well  did  Jacintha  know  your  ob 
ject  in  bringing  that  young  girl  there.  For,  holy  cardinal, 
Natalie  was  not  the  first.  You  were  ever  eloquent  in  per 
suading  youthful  widows  and  maidens  to  renounce  the 
world  and  to  take  the  veil.  It  was  your  practice  to  escort 
your  victims  to  some  convent  in  Dalmatia,  and  the  journey 
was  always  broken  at  Castel  Nuovo.  When  your  pro 
tegees  left  that  place  they  had  good  reason  for  wishing 
to  hide  themselves  in  a  convent. 

"  To  such  a  point  of  depravity  and  recklessness  had 
your  nature  grown  that  you  could  not  refrain,  even  where 
a  princess  was  concerned.  At  Castel  Nuovo  there  was  a 
secret  passage  leading  from  your  study  to  the  chamber 
where  Natalie  slept.  In  the  silence  and  darkness  of  the 
night  you  stole  down  to  accomplish  your  wicked  purpose. 
When  I  think  of  the  shame  and  horror  of  that  poor  girl's 
awakening,  her  imploring  words  and  cries  —  " 

At  this  point  Nikita,  thinking  of  his  own  youthful 
daughter,  who  once  upon  a  time  had  been  almost  per 
suaded  by  Ravenna  to  adopt  a  conventual  life,  could  no 
longer  restrain  himself. 

"  Have  at  you !  "  he  cried  fiercely,  drawing  his  sabre. 

The  stroke  aimed  by  him  at  the  cardinal's  head  was 
intercepted  by  the  sword  of  the  quick-moving  Zabern. 

"  Hold,  Nikita.  No  clumsy  work.  No  betrayal  of 
ourselves.  Toffana's  hell-drops  will  do  the  trick  more 
safely.  Put  up  your  weapon." 

When  the  other  had  somewhat  reluctantly  obeyed, 
Zabern  resumed,  — 

"  Next  morning  the  wretched  princess,  rendered  com 
pletely  insane  by  the  thought  of  her  dishonor,  staggered 
through  the  secret  passage,  and  after  invoking  the  ven 
geance  of  heaven  upon  you,  she  stabbed  herself  and  so 
died. 

"  By  some  means  you  prevailed  upon  Lambro  and 
352 


The  Crime  that  Failed 

Jacintha  to  maintain  silence  on  the  part  played  by  you  in 
this  tragedy.  A  message  was  sent  to  Prince  Thaddeus, 
who  happened  at  this  time  to  be  at  Zara.  He  came ;  wept 
over  his  daughter's  suicide ;  wondered  what  motive  could 
have  prompted  the  deed,  but  never  suspected  the  holy 
cardinal.  Pasqual  Ravenna,  do  you  deny  the  truth  of 
this?" 

No  answer  came  from  the  accused. 

"  Cardinal,  such  guilt  as  yours  would  be  ill-atoned  for 
by  an  after-life  of  penance  in  monastic  cell,  in  sackcloth 
and  ashes,  with  scourgings  and  with  diet  of  bitter  herbs. 
But,  untroubled  by  the  crime,  dead  to  the  voice  of  con 
science,  you  mingle  unashamedly  with  your  fellow-men, 
you  aspire  to  play  the  statesman  —  nay,  you  hesitate  not 
to  minister  in  the  holiest  rites  of  religion.  Was  it  not 
enough  for  you  to  have  destroyed  Natalie,  but  that  you 
must  seek  to  draw  her  sister  to  your  arms  ?  And  because 
our  princess  would  remain  virtuous  and  good,  you  in 
your  black  rage  would  come  forward  at  the  corona 
tion  to-morrow,  and,  by  lying  words  —  for  none  know 
better  than  yourself  that  she  is  the  lawful  daughter 
of  Thaddeus  —  you  would  seek  to  procure  her  de 
thronement.  Never  slew  I  man  yet,  save  with  regret ; 
now  for  the  first  time  do  I  take  pleasure  in  killing  a 
fellow-mortal. 

"  Pasqual  Ravenna,  your  last  hour  has  come.  To-night 
shall  Princess  Natalie's  dying  cry  be  answered.  The 
maidens  whom  you  have  wronged  shall  be  avenged." 

Something  glittered  in  Zabern's  hand.  It  was  a  surgi 
cal  instrument  of  steel,  designed  for  forcing  open  the 
jaws  of  persons  bent  on  keeping  them  shut. 

Holding  this  dreadful  instrument,  together  with  the 
poison-phial,  in  his  left  and  only  hand,  Zabern  motioned 
Nikita  and  Gabor  to  grip  the  cardinal  by  the  arms. 

"  Give  me  ten  minutes,  ten  minutes  only,  in  the  next 
apartment,"  gasped  Ravenna. 
23  353 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

"  For  what  purpose  ?  " 

"  To  —  pray." 

"  I  fail  to  see  the  use,"  responded  Zabern  dryly. 
"  Heavens !  Nikita,  how  strangely  constituted  these 
churchmen  must  be  to  think  that  a  life  of  guilt  may  be 
atoned  for  by  ten  minutes  of  prayer." 

"  As  you  yourself  hope  for  mercy  at  the  last  day,  I 
beseech  you  to  grant  me  ten  minutes  —  five,  then  —  in 
the  next  room." 

Zabern  laid  the  steel  and  phial  upon  the  table. 

"  You  may  have  ten  minutes'  grace,  but  you  will  do 
your  praying  here." 

"  That  apartment  is  an  oratory,"  pleaded  Ravenna. 

"  Let  him  have  his  wish,  marshal,"  said  Gabor. 

"And  see  him  escape  us?"  ejaculated  Xikita  fiercely. 

"  I  cannot  escape.  There  is  no  exit  from  the  oratory, 
secret  or  open,  save  by  that  door.  The  window  is  fifty 
feet  from  the  ground." 

Zabern,  suspecting  that  Ravenna  was  trying  to  effect 
his  escape,  approached  the  chamber  in  question,  and 
found  it  to  be  an  oblong  apartment,  twenty  feet  by  ten, 
fitted  up  as  an  oratory,  and  hung  with  sacred  pictures. 
At  the  far  end,  through  a  casement  of  stained  glass, 
arrowy  beams  of  tender  silvery  moonlight  slanted  upon 
an  altar,  surmounted  by  an  ivory  crucifix  with  waxen 
tapers  burning  before  it.  There  was  an  air  of  solemnity 
in  the  place  which  exercised  an  influence  even  upon  the 
stern  mind  of  Zabern. 

"  Take  your  ten  minutes,"  he  exclaimed,  pointing 
within,  "  but  seek  not  to  escape,  for  my  eye  shall  be  on 
you  the  while." 

Ravenna  rose  from  his  seat ;  in  rising  he  purposely 
stumbled  and  fell,  and  while  so  doing  he  contrived  to 
secure  possession  of  the  letter  lying  beneath  the  table, 
and  to  secrete  it  within  the  folds  of  his  cassock.  Then 
with  slow  and  faltering  step  he  moved  into  the  oratory, 

354 


The  Crime  that  Failed 

and  taking  out  his  rosary,  he  knelt  with  bowed  head 
before  the  altar. 

Zabern,  standing  without,  kept  the  door  slightly  open 
in  order  that  he  might  not  lose  sight  of  Ravenna's 
movements. 

Gabor  the  trooper  here  put  a  very  pertinent  question. 

"  Marshal,  since  the  Pope  and  his  cardinals  know  the 
princess's  secret,  what  do  we  gain  by  killing  the  arch 
bishop  ?  " 

"  We  stop  his  mouth  from  proclaiming  the  secret  to 
morrow,"  replied  Zabern. 

"  True.     But  afterwards  — ?  " 

"  Afterwards,  my  good  Gabor,  no  one  shall  be  able  to 
say  that  our  princess  is  not  Natalie  Lilieska.  Was  the 
real  Natalie  marked  with  a  mole  upon  her  right  shoulder  ? 
A  friendly  physician  can  soon  produce  that  disfigurement 
for  us  upon  the  fair  skin  of  our  princess." 

Nikita  laughed  aloud. 

"  Is  there  any  one  living  who  can  defeat  the  marshal  ?  " 
he  cried. 

"  There  is  one  here  who  will  make  the  attempt,"  said  a 
voice. 

At  this  the  trio  stared  curiously  at  one  another,  for  the 
words  came  from  the  oratory,  and  had  plainly  been  ut 
tered  by  none  other  than  the  cardinal.  Recovering  from 
his  momentary  surprise,  Zabern,  with  sudden  misgiving 
at  his  heart,  flung  wide  the  door. 

"  Marshal  Zabern,"  said  the  voice  of  Ravenna,  "  as  you 
value  the  throne  of  the  princess,  come  not  one  step  farther. 
Mark  well  what  is  in  my  hand." 

The  window  of  the  oratory,  which  before  had  been 
shut,  was  now  wide  open,  and  the  moonlight  fell  upon 
the  lofty  figure  and  pale  face  of  the  cardinal,  who  was 
standing  erect  on  one  side  of  the  altar.  In  his  right  hand 
he  held  a  dove,  to  the  neck  of  which  a  letter  was  attached. 
The  sight  kept  the  three  men  dumb  and  motionless, 

355 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

for  they  instantly  divined  that  the  bird  was  a  carrier- 
pigeon. 

Ravenna's  Italian  guile  had  been  more  than  a  match 
for  Zabern's  subtlety.  His  object  in  kneeling  before  the 
altar  had  not  been  to  pray,  but  to  release  the  dove  which 
had  been  attached  to  it  by  a  silken  thread  —  a  dove  pur 
posely  kept  for  emergencies.  What  captain  of  the  guard 
on  arresting  the  archbishop  would  be  so  stern-natured  as 
to  refuse  his  prisoner  a  few  minutes'  prayer  in  his  private 
oratory?  Ravenna,  on  releasing  the  dove,  had  affixed 
the  letter  to  its  neck,  performing  the  feat  so  guardedly, 
that  though  he  had  been  watched,  now  by  Zabern,  and 
now  by  Nikita,  his  movements  had  not  given  rise  to 
suspicion. 

"  Listen,"  cried  Ravenna,  raising  his  left  hand  warn- 
ingly.  "  If  you  enter  I  quit  my  hold  of  the  dove.  You 
observe  the  letter.  Let  me  tell  you  what  it  contains." 

"  Say  on,"  returned  Zabern  with  affected  indifference. 
"  Your  ten  minutes  have  not  yet  expired." 

"  This  evening,"  began  the  cardinal,  "  and  just  prior  to 
your  arrival  I  penned  a  letter  intended  for  the  Czar's 
perusal.  That  letter  now  hangs  from  this  dove's  neck. 
It  contains  three  statements.  Firstly,  that  the  Princess  of 
Czernova  is  not  Natalie  Lilieska ;  secondly,  that  the  Czer- 
novese  Charter  is  a  forgery  from  the  hand  of  Katina 
Ludovska ;  thirdly,  that  the  Convent  of  the  Transfigura 
tion  contains  ample  evidence  of  a  conspiracy  for  the 
emancipation  of  Poland.  Each  of  these  facts,  singly,  if 
known  to  the  Czar,  would  be  sufficient  to  hurl  the  princess 
from  her  throne.  If  this  dove  should  fly  forth  it  would 
be  in  my  nephew's  house  at  Zamoska  within  thirty  min 
utes  ;  an  hour  more,  and  Redwitz  would  be  in  the  camp 
of  the  Czar.  Thus,  then,  do  I  make  my  terms.  Approach 
to  do  me  hurt,  and  I  release  the  dove.  Retire  from  the 
palace,  give  me  my  life,  and  I  swear  by  all  that  I  hold 
holy  to  refrain  from  endangering  the  throne  of  the  prin- 

356 


The  Crime  that  Failed 

cess.  It  is  within  your  power  to  murder  me,  but  the 
murder  will  be  dearly  purchased,  for  it  will  bring  utter 
ruin  upon  Czernova.' 

"  Idle  vaunting !  "  said  Zabern.  "  All  know  that  the 
carrier-pigeon  flieth  not  in  the  dark." 

"  This  dove  has  ere  now  found  its  way  to  Zamoska  by 
moonlight." 

That  the  cardinal  spoke  truth  when  he  declared  that  the 
letter  contained  the  weighty  secrets  Zabern  did  not  doubt. 
Therefore  to  advance  with  intent  to  slay  would  be  fatal  to 
the  interests  of  the  princess ;  and  yet  to  retire,  leaving 
Ravenna  to  his  own  devices  would  be  equally  fatal,  for 
Zabern  knew  full  well  that  the  cardinal's  most  solemn 
oath  was  not  to  be  trusted.  So  soon  as  the  trio  should 
withdraw,  so  soon  as  Ravenna  should  be  released  from 
the  fear  of  their  presence,  he  would  laugh  at  their  sim 
plicity,  and  would  carry  out  his  evil  work  against  the 
princess,  ay,  and  with  more  determination  than  ever, 
embittered  as  he  would  be  by  the  attempt  made  upon 
his  life.  It  was  a  terrible  dilemma. 

The  trio  stood  upon  the  threshold  of  the  oratory,  im 
movable,  irresolute,  silent,  gazing  at  the  cardinal,  who  in 
turn  kept  his  eyes  fixed  upon  them  like  a  prisoner  waiting 
for  the  verdict  of  life  or  death. 

"  No  terms  with  a  Jesuit,"  muttered  Zabern  under  his 
breath.  "  Nikita,  you  are  the  best  shot.  Draw  your 
pistol,  and  shoot,  not  the  cardinal,  but  the  dove." 

As  Zabern  spoke  he  moved  slightly  to  one  side,  in  order 
to  screen  the  movements  of  his  henchman. 

Directly  afterwards  a  report  rang  out,  startlingly  loud 
in  that  small  chamber.  It  was  accompanied  by  a  sharp  cry 
of  anguish  from  the  cardinal,  and  by  a  swift  forward 
rush  on  the  part  of  his  foes,  each  eager  to  pounce  upon 
the  fallen  bird. 

But,  by  a  strange  mischance,  Nikita,  who  was  consid 
ered  to  be  second  only  to  Katina  herself  in  the  handling 

357 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

of  the  pistol,  had  somehow  failed  to  hit  a  conspicuous  ob 
ject  seventeen  feet  away.  The  bullet  had  penetrated  the 
wrist  of  the  cardinal,  whose  hand  had  involuntarily  re 
laxed  its  hold,  with  the  result  that  the  startled  dove  was 
now  flying  forth  through  the  open  casement. 

With  the  air  of  one  mad,  Zabern  pulled  Nikita  towards 
the  window,  and,  hurling  Ravenna  aside,  he  thrust  his 
own  pistol  into  the  trooper's  hand. 

"  Shoot,  Nikita,  shoot  in  God's  name,"  he  cried,  point 
ing  to  the  dove,  whose  white  form  was  clearly  defined 
against  the  dark  blue  sky.  "  The  fate  of  all  Czernova 
rests  on  your  aim." 

The  bird,  as  if  doubtful  what  direction  to  take,  was 
moving  slowly  round  in  a  series  of  spirals  and  rising 
higher  and  higher  each  moment.  Nikita  pointed  his 
weapon,  raising  it  gradually  with  the  ascent  of  the  dove, 
till,  deeming  himself  certain  of  his  aim,  he  drew  the  trig 
ger.  A  second  shot  rang  out.  Both  men  looked,  expect 
ing  the  instant  fall  of  the  dove,  but  the  winged  messenger 
remained  unhurt,  and  apparently  having  chosen  its  route, 
flew  off  in  a  straight  line,  and  immediately  disappeared 
over  the  tree-tops. 

"  By  heaven,  you  Ve  missed  again !  "  cried  Zabern,  his 
dismay  being  lost  for  the  moment  in  wonder  that  Nikita's 
hand  should  have  so  strangely  lost  its  cunning. 

"  God's  curse  is  on  me  to-night,"  said  Nikita,  flinging 
the  pistol  from  him.  "  Who,"  he  added,  with  a  touch  of 
Slavonic  superstition,  "  who  can  shoot  a  dove,  symbol  of 
the  Holy  Ghost  ?  " 

"  Symbol  of  the  holy  devil !  "  cried  Zabern.  "  Where  's 
the  cardinal  ?  " 

In  his  eagerness  to  mark  the  effect  of  Nikita's  second 
shot  Gabor  had  likewise  pressed  forward  to  the  casement, 
forgetful  of  Ravenna,  who,  taking  advantage  of  this  neg 
ligence,  picked  himself  up  from  the  corner  where  Zabern 
had  flung  him,  and  ran  from  the  oratory  into  the  library. 

358 


The  Crime  that  Failed 

The  wondering  police  next  day  traced  his  course  over  the 
carpet  by  the  blood-drops  that  fell  from  his  shattered 
wrist. 

But  in  a  moment  more  the  avenging  Zabern  was  after 
him,  his  sabre  gleaming  in  his  hand. 

The  cardinal  had  reached  the  locked  door  of  the  library : 
his  unwounded  hand  had  turned  the  key ;  his  fingers  were 
already  upon  the  door-handle  when  Zabern,  with  a  laugh 
of  horrid  glee,  clutched  him  by  the  collar  of  his  cassock 
with  the  same  hand  that  held  the  sabre,  and  pulled  him 
backward  upon  his  knees. 

The  agony  of  the  situation  forced  from  Ravenna  a  yell 
that  curdled  the  blood  of  the  treacherous  steward  who 
kept  watch  at  the  foot  of  the  staircase,  but  it  had  no  effect 
upon  Zabern. 

"  You  paid  no  heed  to  Natalie's  screams,  nor  will  I  to 
yours." 

He  thought  no  more  now  of  safeguarding  himself  by 
imparting  to  the  murder  the  appearance  of  suicide. 

"  To  hell,  and  say  that  Zabern  sent  you." 

Foaming  with  fury,  he  dealt  not  one,  but  many  strokes 
at  the  kneeling,  swaying  figure,  with  its  feebly  upraised 
hands.  Nikita  and  Gabor,  equally  frenzied,  joined  in  the 
savage  work. 

The  three  miserable  men  wiped  their  bloody  sabres 
upon  the  window-curtains,  and  stared  down  upon  the 
carpet  at  something  which  had  once  been  a  man. 

The  clock-tower  of  the  cathedral  now  sent  forth  the 
sweet  and  pretty  carillon  that  always  heralded  the  strik 
ing  of  the  hour.  Then  after  a  solemn  interval  came  the 
first  peal  of  midnight. 

"  The  princess's  coronation  day !  "  said  Nikita. 

"  Humph !  will  there  be  any  coronation  ?  "  muttered 
Zabern. 

"  Hark  to  the  shouting !  "  said  Gabor. 
359 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

From  every  quarter  of  the  capital,  from  the  groups 
moving  to  and  fro  along  the  route  of  the  intended  pro 
cession,  from  spacious  square  and  narrow  alley,  from  the 
brilliantly  illuminated  hotel,  and  from  the  obscure  private 
dwelling,  came  the  sound  of  cheering,  gradually  swelling 
into  one  prolonged  universal  roar.  The  gala-day  had 
come  at  last ! 

Zabern  with  a  grim  smile  looked  towards  the  north. 
The  heaven  in  that  direction  was  tinged  with  a  red  glow 
from  the  thousands  of  watch-fires  in  the  Czar's  camp  — 
that  camp  towards  which  the  swift-flying  dove  was  now 
winging  its  course  with  the  tidings  fatal  to  Czernova. 
How  long  would  it  be  ere  that  huge  array  came  pouring 
across  the  border  to  depose  the  princess,  and  to  establish 
the  duke  upon  — 

Zabern   started. 

Ere  the  shouting  of  the  joyous  populace  had  died  away, 
a  new  and  startling  sound  was  reverberating  through  the 
night  air.  It  was  the  boom  of  a  single  cannon,  and  that  at 
no  great  distance.  Its  significance  was  intuitively  divined 
by  Zabern. 

"  The  Citadel-gun !  "  he  cried,  recoiling  from  the  win 
dow.  "  By  God,  the  duke  has  escaped !  " 


360 


CHAPTER  XVII 

THE   BEGINNING   OF   THE    CORONATION 

THE  morning  of  Barbara's  coronation  broke  soft 
and  sunny;  it  seemed  almost  impossible  that  any 
thing  disastrous  could  happen  on  a  day  so  fair. 

Prior  to  setting  off  for  the  cathedral  the  princess  enter 
tained  her  ministers  at  breakfast.  She  herself  occupied 
the  head  of  the  table,  with  Radzivil  at  her  right  hand  and 
Zabern  at  the  left.  Dorislas  was  absent  in  command  of 
the  ten  thousand  appointed  to  guard  the  frontier. 

So  far  no  hostilities  had  occurred.  Successive  couriers 
arriving  at  intervals  of  every  half-hour  continued  to  re 
port  that  the  Russian  forces  still  preserved  their  position 
of  the  previous  afternoon,  —  a  position  about  a  mile  dis 
tant  from  the  Czernovese  border.  There  was  no  move 
ment  on  their  part  suggestive  of  coming  invasion.  The 
more  hopeful  of  the  ministers,  therefore,  began  to  pluck 
up  courage,  and  tried  to  believe  that  the  Czar's  army  had 
really  mustered  for  the  customary  autumn  manoeuvres, 
and  not  for  the  purpose  of  preventing  the  coronation. 

Zabern  did  not  share  in  these  hopeful  views ;  none 
knew  better  than  he  did  the  magnitude  of  the  peril  that 
overhung  Czernova.  In  reporting  the  cardinal's  death 
to  the  princess  Zabern  had  suppressed  some  details,  and 
hence  Barbara  was  unaware  that  a  dove  had  flown  off  to 
Zamoska  bearing  a  letter,  which,  if  it  should  reach  the 
Czar's  hands,  would  most  assuredly  result  in  her  de 
thronement.  From  very  pity  he  withheld  the  fact. 

"  She  will  learn  it  soon  enough,"  he  thought.  "  Why 
add  to  evil  the  anticipation  of  it  ?  " 

361 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

During  the  course  of  the  breakfast  many  comments 
were  made  upon  the  murder  of  Cardinal  Ravenna. 

"  A  terrible  and  mysterious  affair !  "  said  Radzivil, 
greatly  shocked  by  the  tragedy,  and  completely  ignorant 
as  to  its  authors.  "  The  physicians  assert  that  there  are 
no  less  than  eighteen  wounds  upon  the  body." 

"  Five  less  than  Julius  Caesar  received,"  commented 
Zabern  irrelevantly. 

"  You  offer  a  reward,  I  presume,  for  any  information 
that  shall  lead  to  the  detection  of  the  assassins  ?  "  said  the 
premier  to  Zabern,  who,  as  Minister  for  Justice,  was  head 
of  the  department  that  took  cognizance  of  crime. 

"  Not  a  rouble  note,"  replied  Zabern  bluntly. 

"  That 's  contrary  to  your  usual  practice." 

"  Why  should  I  offer  a  reward  when  I  know  who  the 
—  ah  !  —  assassins  are  ?  There  were  three  of  them  to  the 
deed." 

"  You  know  them  ?  And  yet  they  have  not  been 
seized !  " 

"  I  have  weighty  reasons  for  deferring  their  arrest." 

"  Delay  may  end  in  their  escape." 

"  The  chief  assassin  cannot  escape  from  me.  The 
police  know  him  and  have  their  eye  upon  him  whenever 
he  walks  abroad.  I  can  put  my  finger  upon  him  as  easily 
as  I  now  lay  hand  upon  this  coat,"  said  Zabern  smiling, 
and  suiting  the  action  to  the  word. 

Radzivil  was  about  to  press  for  further  enlightenment, 
but  Barbara  checked  him. 

''  The  subject  is  distressing  to  me,"  she  said  with  a  look 
that  confirmed  her  words. 

"  Your  Highness,  I  crave  pardon,"  said  the  premier. 

Though  Barbara  fully  believed  that  no  one  had  ever 
merited  death  more  than  Ravenna,  yet  the  deed  lay  heavy 
on  her  mind.  Not  even  the  thought  of  the  many  maidens, 
her  own  sister  among  the  number,  sacrificed  to  the  unholy 
desires  of  the  cardinal,  could  blind  her  to  the  fact  that 

362 


The  Beginning  of  the  Coronation 

in  sending  Zabern  to  slay  him  she  had  committed  a 
crime. 

No  such  scruple,  however,  troubled  the  conscience  of 
the  marshal,  whose  only  regret  was  that  he  had  not  de 
spatched  the  duke  likewise,  while  it  lay  in  his  power  to 
do  so. 

Ere  coming  to  the  breakfast  he  had  witnessed  the  exe 
cution  of  the  deputy  Lesko  Lipski  and  the  spy  Ivan  Rus- 
sakoff  with  the  feeling,  however,  that  it  was  but  sorry 
justice  to  shoot  the  agents,  while  the  more  guilty  princi 
pal  was  at  large. 

"  You  have  no  tidings  of  Bora,  I  presume?  "  said  Bar 
bara  turning  to  the  marshal. 

"  None  —  so  far,  your  Highness,"  replied  Zabern. 
"  But,  oh !  "  he  added  with  mingled  surprise  and  satis 
faction,  "  here  comes  one  who  should  be  able  to  explain 
the  mystery  of  the  duke's  escape." 

All  eyes  had  turned  towards  a  door  which  had  just 
opened,  giving  ingress  to  a  file  of  soldiers ;  they  were 
under  the  command  of  Gabor,  and  escorted  in  their  midst 
Aliroslav,  the  governor  of  the  Citadel. 

"  Your  Highness,"  said  Gabor,  advancing  and  saluting, 
"  I  came  upon  the  governor  in  the  act  of  departing  from 
the  city.  Thinking  that  you  might  like  to  interview  him, 
I  took  the  liberty  of  arresting  him  on  my  own  authority." 

"  You  have  done  well,"  replied  Barbara ;  and  then 
turning  a  cold  face  upon  the  governor,  she  said :  "  What 
defence  have  you  to  make,  Miroslav?  You  received  or 
ders  to  exercise  special  vigilance  over  your  prisoner,  the 
Duke  of  Bora,  and  yet  he  contrived  to  escape." 

"  And  with  my  connivance,  so  please  your  Highness." 

"  Traitor !  "  said  Zabern,  starting  up,  and  half  drawing 
his  sword,  "  you  have  signed  your  death-warrant." 

"  Your  Highness,  hear  my  story  ere  condemning  me. 
At  eleven  o'clock  last  night  I  was  informed  that  a  man 
stood  at  the  gate  of  the  Citadel  demanding  an  interview 

363 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

with  me.  I  sent  to  ascertain  his  name  and  business. 
'  Carry  that  to  your  master/  said  the  stranger,  pencilling 
a  few  words  on  a  card,  and  enclosing  it  within  an  en 
velope.  On  opening  the  envelope  this  is  what  I  beheld." 

Here  Miroslav  drew  forth  a  small  card,  which  Gabor 
conveyed  to  the  princess,  who  started  at  sight  of  the  words 
that  were  written  upon  it.  She  handed  the  note  to  Rad- 
zivil,  whose  face  immediately  expressed  the  utmost  con 
sternation.  He  tendered  the  card  to  Zabern,  who  in  turn 
passed  it  to  the  minister  beside  him,  and  thus  amid  a 
death-like  silence  it  went  the  round  of  the  table. 

And  the  words  of  the  note  were  these,  — 

You  are  herewith  commanded  to  release  the  Duke  of 
Bora.  Delay  will  mean  death  to  you. 

NICHOLAS  PAULOriTCH 

Czar  of  all  the  Russias. 

"  When  I  saw  that  signature,"  continued  Miroslav,  "  I 
gave  orders  that  the  visitor  should  be  instantly  admitted. 
On  entering  the  room  he  commanded  my  servant  to  re 
tire,  and  then  when  he  had  withdrawn  the  cloak  from  his 
face  I  saw  that  it  was  indeed  the  Emperor  Nicholas. 
'  Have  you  given  command  for  the  release  of  my  kins 
man  ?  '  were  his  first  words.  Vain  was  it  for  me  to  pro 
test  that  I  could  receive  such  an  order  only  from  the 
princess  herself.  '  I  am  the  suzerain  of  Czernova,  and 
therefore  above  the  princess,'  was  his  reply." 

"  Ha !  "  said  Barbara,  with  a  flash  of  her  eyes.  "  And 
you  acknowledged  his  suzerainty  ?  " 

"  Your  Highness  is  great,  but  the  Czar  is  greater. 
Who  is  like  the  mighty  Nicholas  ?  " 

"  No  one  on  earth,  Miroslav ;  for  which  fact  may  the 
saints  be  praised !  "  remarked  Zabern. 

"  Your  Highness,  I  was  so  awed  by  the  emperor's 
majestic  presence,  by  his  authoritative  manner,  by  the 

364 


The  Beginning  of  the  Coronation 

thought  of  his  empire  and  power  that  I  could  not  do 
otherwise  than  obey  him.  The  marshal  himself  would 
have  done  the  like,  had  he  been  in  my  place." 

Zabern  repudiated  the  statement  with  a  scornful  laugh. 

"  I  brought  the  duke  to  the  presence  of  the  emperor, 
an'd  the  two  withdrew,  going  I  know  not  where.  Fearing 
your  Highness's  displeasure,  I  myself  quitted  the  Citadel, 
intending  to  fly  from  Czernova.  I  throw  myself  upon 
your  Highness's  mercy." 

"  It  was  your  duty,  Miroslav,"  returned  Barbara,  "  to 
retain  your  prisoner,  even  at  the  hazard  of  your  life.  In 
taking  orders  from  a  foreign  sovereign  you  have  com 
mitted  an  act  of  treason.  Gabor,  see  that  the  governor  be 
kept  in  the  palace  here  till  our  return  from  the  cathedral. 
We  will  then  decide  as  to  his  punishment." 

Gabor  saluted,  and  the  troop  retired  with  their  prisoner. 

"  The  Czar  secretly  in  our  city !  "  murmured  Radzivil, 
in  a  tone  of  dismay.  "  What  is  his  object?  " 

"  No  good  to  our  rule,  count,"  replied  Barbara,  quietly. 

The  secret  visit  of  the  Czar  to  Slavowitz,  and  his  act  in 
releasing  the  Duke  of  Bora,  had  so  sinister  an  aspect  that 
the  hopeful  ones  among  the  ministry  returned  at  a  bound 
to  their  previous  state  of  doubt.  Were  they  about  to  wit 
ness  a  coronation  or  a  dethronement  ?  Was  the  Czar  pre 
paring  to  intervene  in  the  ceremony?  Would  the  sol 
emnity  in  the  cathedral  end  amid  the  mockery  and  the 
triumph  of  the  Muscovite  faction?  With  a  feeling  of  pity 
they  glanced  at  their  fair  young  ruler,  who  for  her  part 
showed  no  sign  of  fear  in  this  great  crisis.  They  recog 
nized  that  if  she  should  fall,  she  would  fall  with  dignity. 

The  breakfast  ended,  and  Barbara  retired  to  dress  for 
the  coming  ceremony. 

Outside,  in  the  wide  extent  of  ground  fronting  the  Vis 
tula  Palace,  the  long  line  of  the  procession  was  slowly 
forming  under  the  direction  of  marshals  and  heralds. 

Part  of  the  procession  consisted  of  a  sort  of  historic 
365 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

pageant;  its  members,  attired  in  costumes  that  recalled 
every  period  of  Polish  history,  carried  trophies  and  em 
blems,  calculated  to  stir  the  patriotic  enthusiasm  of  the 
populace. 

In  this  pageant  Katina  Ludovska  bore  part,  by  far  the 
most  charming  of  the  maidens  present,  clad  as  she  was 
in  a  dainty  corselet  of  silvered  mail,  above  a  dark-blue 
satin  skirt  flowered  with  gold.  Mounted  upon  a  beauti 
ful  bay,  she  bore  proudly  aloft  a  famous  historic  memo 
rial,  a  standard  captured  by  King  Sigismund  at  the  taking 
of  Moscow,  its  white  silken  folds  distinctly  stamped  with 
the  impress  of  a  bloody  hand,  a  ghastly  testimony  to  the 
struggle  that  had  once  raged  around  it. 

In  riding  along  the  line  of  the  procession,  Zabern 
stopped  and  addressed  a  few  words  to  his  affianced. 

"  Not  pasteboard  and  tinsel,  I  trust  ?  "  he  said,  with  a 
smile,  and  referring  to  the  sword  by  her  side. 

"  Real  steel,"  replied  Katina,  exhibiting  the  blade. 

"  Good !  'T  is  well  to  go  armed  on  such  a  day  as  this. 
We  shall  be  fighting  for  our  liberties  ere  long." 

"  Death  before  submission,"  replied  Katina,  with  a 
brave  light  in  her  eyes  that  made  Zabern  love  her  the 
more. 

The  din  caused  by  the  marching  of  soldiers,  the  neigh 
ing  of  steeds,  the  rolling  of  carriage-wheels,  the  snarling 
of  silver  trumpets,  the  crisp,  sharp  word  of  command 
floated  upward  to  Barbara's  ears  as  she  sat  undergoing 
her  toilet  at  the  hands  of  her  ladies.  She  wondered,  as 
she  had  wondered  many  times  that  morning,  how  it  would 
all  end,  for  assuredly  no  coronation  could  ever  have  been 
heralded  with  more  sinister  auspices  than  her  own. 

Partly  with  a  view  to  picturesque  effect,  and  partly  that 
the  populace  along  the  line  of  route  might  have  a  clear 
and  uninterrupted  view  of  their  princess,  it  had  been  de 
cided  that  she  should  proceed  to  the  cathedral  mounted 
upon  a  white  palfrey. 

366 


The  Beginning  of  the  Coronation 

Barbara  had  been  somewhat  disposed  at  first  to  shrink 
from  this  exposure  to  public  gaze,  but  had  finally  con 
sented  to  the  arrangement,  won  over  by  the  argument 
that  as  the  people  would  assemble  for  the  express  purpose 
of  seeing  her,  it  would  be  a  disappointment  to  them  to 
catch  but  a  glimpse  of  their  ruler  through  the  windows 
of  a  state-coach. 

To  Radzivil  and  Zabern  had  been  given  the  honor  of 
riding  side  by  side  with  the  princess,  though  the  marshal 
cared  much  less  for  the  honor  than  for  the  opportunity 
afforded  him  of  exercising  guard  over  her  person,  since 
he  was  not  without  apprehension  that  some  fanatic  Mus 
covite  might  attempt  her  life  during  her  progress  through 
the  streets. 

The  procession  was  timed  to  start  at  ten  o'clock,  and  as 
the  hour  drew  near  Zabern  and  the  premier  rode  to  the 
entrance  of  the  palace,  and  there  waited  the  coming  of 
the  princess. 

The  marshal  was  mounted  upon  a  magnificent  black 
charger,  and  made  a  splendid  figure,  for  he  wore  the  old 
picturesque  Polish  costume,  and  sparkled  with  diamonds 
from  plume  to  spur. 

"  And  to  think,"  he  mused  in  the  interval  of  waiting, 
"  to  think  that  Captain  Woodville  has  not  yet  arrived." 

"  Captain  Woodville  ?  "  exclaimed  the  premier  with  a 
start.  "  Surely  the  princess  is  not  recalling  him  ?  " 

"  No,  but  I  am ;  and  his  non-arrival  is  a  grave  matter 
for  us.  Were  the  duke  still  in  the  Citadel,  Woodville's 
absence  might  be  borne  with  equanimity.  As  it  is  —  but 
here  comes  the  princess.  I  must  defer  my  explanation." 

Punctually  at  one  minute  to  ten,  Barbara  appeared  at 
the  entrance  of  the  palace,  and  descending  the  marble 
stairs,  she  mounted  her  white  palfrey  with  the  assistance 
of  Radzivil. 

Zabern  at  the  same  moment  waved  his  plumed  cap,  and 
immediately  a  salvo  of  artillery  from  the  roof  of  the 

367 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

palace  proclaimed  to  the  waiting  populace  that  the  prin 
cess  was  about  to  set  off. 

Amid  the  roll  of  drums,  the  crash  of  music,  and  the 
pealing  of  bells  from  every  steeple  in  the  city,  the  great 
brazen  gates  of  the  palace  gardens  were  flung  wide,  and 
there  rode  forth  the  head  of  the  procession,  the  Blue 
Legion,  their  lances  flashing  brightly  in  the  sunlight. 

As  they  moved  out,  the  sight  that  met  their  eyes  was 
sufficient  to  stir  the  blood  of  the  most  sluggish.  The 
centre  of  the  road  was  empty,  but  the  sidewalks  were 
literally  paved  with  human  heads.  Every  window,  bal 
cony,  and  roof  was  alive  with  spectators.  All  Czernova 
was  there,  every  citizen  apparently  determined  to  find  a 
place  somewhere  along  the  line  of  route.  Resolved  to 
obtain  a  view  somehow  of  their  youthful  sovereign,  men 
could  be  seen  clinging  in  mid-air  to  steeples,  pediments, 
cornices,  wherever  foothold  could  be  found.  From  the 
ground  below  to  the  sky  above  nothing  but  human 
faces. 

"  Sword  of  Saint  Michael !  "  muttered  Zabern.  "  A 
pity  all  have  not  been  trained  to  use  the  rifle.  We  might, 
then,  make  good  defence,  even  against  the  Czar's  one 
hundred  thousand." 

As  soon  as  Barbara  made  her  appearance,  she  was 
greeted  with  frenzied  cheering.  Roar  after  roar  rent  the 
air.  Rolling  along  the  boulevard,  and  mounting  upward 
to  the  sky,  the  sound  was  almost  loud  enough  to  be  heard 
in  the  distant  camp  of  the  Czar.  So  great  was  the  en 
thusiasm  that  the  troops  lining  the  streets  could  with  dif 
ficulty  prevent  the  populace  from  pressing  forward  to 
touch  her. 

If  any  dissentients  to  her  rule  were  present  along  the 
line  of  route,  they  were  careful  to  dissemble  their  feelings. 
But  who  could  dissent  from  a  maiden  so  sweet  and  fair? 
Dressed  simply  in  white  silk,  she  looked  every  inch  a 
princess.  Her  dark  hair  was  without  covering,  save  for 

368 


The  Beginning  of  the  Coronation 

a  slender  gold  diadem,  from  which  there  flowed  behind 
a  veil  of  diaphanous  lace. 

Tears  glistened  in  eyes  that  had  not  been  wet  for  years. 

Aged  men  who  had  seen  the  great  Kosciusko  carried 
off  from  the  fatal  field  of  Macicowice ;  veterans  who, 
like  Zabern,  had  marched  with  Napoleon  to  the  fall  of 
Moscow ;  fugitives  from  Siberian  mines,  with  bodies 
scarred  by  the  iron  fetters  they  had  worn;  Polish  pa 
triots,  survivors  of  the  ill-starred  rising  of  '30  —  all  were 
gathered  that  day  in  the  Czernovese  capital  to  acclaim 
one  destined,  so  they  believed,  to  revive  the  ancient  em 
pire  of  Poland.  Many  a  salute  did  Zabern  give,  as  from 
time  to  time  he  caught  sight  among  the  crowd  of  the  face 
of  some  old  familiar-in-arms. 

Barbara,  however,  though  smiling  sweetly  upon  all 
around,  was  inwardly  unhappy.  A  secret  voice  seemed 
to  whisper,  "  Deceiver !  this  tribute  of  loyalty  is  offered 
to  Natalie  Lilieska,  the  lawfully  born  daughter  of  the 
Princess  Stephanie,  and  not  to  the  Barbara  of  doubtful 
origin." 

It  was  too  late  now  to  recede  from  the  role  she  had 
assumed,  and  so  amid  shouting  multitudes  she  rode  on, 
her  progress  from  the  palace  to  the  cathedral  being  one 
continuous  scene  of  triumph,  unmarred  by  anything  of  a 
hostile  character. 

"  It  is  here,  then,  that  we  are  to  look  for  the  Czar's 
coup?"  muttered  Zabern,  as  the  cavalcade  drew  in  sight 
of  the  stately  Gothic  cathedral  of  Saint  Stanislas,  from 
every  tower  of  which  silver-tongued  bells  were  pealing 
jubilant  carillons. 

Those  in  the  procession  whose  duty  or  privilege  it  was 
to  enter  the  cathedral,  made  their  ingress  by  various 
doors  to  their  appointed  places ;  the  less  fortunate  re 
mained  drawn  up  in  order  around  the  edifice. 

As  Zabern  stood  upon  the  broad  flight  of  steps,  car 
peted  with  crimson  velvet,  and  surveyed  the  vast  crowds 
24  369 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

around,  his  attention  was  suddenly  arrested  by  the  sight 
of  a  horseman  at  the  far  end  of  a  boulevard  which  opened 
upon  the  cathedral  square.  As  this  avenue  was  kept  clear 
by  the  military  for  the  return  journey  of  the  princess, 
there  was  nothing  to  impede  the  rider's  progress,  and  on 
he  came  with  flying  rein  and  bloody  spur. 

"  A  courier !  a  courier !  "  cried  the  people,  instinctively 
divining  that  he  was  the  bearer  of  weighty  tidings.  "What 
news  ?  What  news  ?  " 

To  their  cries,  however,  the  rider  remained  mute. 

"  By  heaven,  it 's  Nikita !  "  muttered  the  marshal. 

As  the  quivering  steed  drew  up  at  the  foot  of  the  cathe 
dral-stairs,  Zabern  sprang  to  meet  his  orderly. 

"  Now,  marshal,"  said  the  latter,  "  play  the  Roman, 
and  fall  on  your  sword's  point,  for  the  end  has  come." 

"  A  good  many  men  shall  fall  by  this  blade  ere  it 
reaches  my  heart,"  growled  Zabern.  "  What  new  trouble 
do  you  bring  ?  " 

"  The  chanting  of  the  monks  hath  ceased ;  or  to  be 
plainer,  the  Russian  standard  is  floating  over  the  Convent 
of  the  Transfiguration." 

"  Speak  you  from  hearsay  merely  ?  " 

"  I  speak  of  what  I  have  seen." 

"  The  cardinal  laughs  at  us  from  hell ;  this  is  the  first 
result  of  his  letter.  The  Russian  invasion  has  begun, 
then?  Pretty  generalship  on  the  part  of  Dorislas  to  let 
the  enemy  steal  thus  upon  his  rear!  And  where  are  the 
monks,  that  they  have  not  fired  the  powder-magazine,  and 
sent  themselves  and  their  foes  flying  into  the  air?  They 
have  sworn  an  oath  to  do  it  rather  than  let  the  convent 
fall  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy.  There  would  not  now 
have  been  one  stone  upon  another  if  old  Faustus  had  been 
there." 

"  It  was  when  on  my  way  back  from  the  camp  of  Dor 
islas  that  I  caught  sight  of  the  Muscovite  standard  on 
the  tower  of  the  convent.  I  immediately  rode  near  and 

37° 


The  Beginning  of  the  Coronation 

perceived  the  bayonets  of  the  Patilovski  Guards  moving 
to  and  fro  along  the  battlements.  And  who  should  be 
in  command  there  but  Baron  Ostrova,  the  duke's  former 
secretary  —  he  whom  the  princess  banished  from  Czer- 
nova.  I  at  once  galloped  back  to  our  camp  with  the  news. 
Dorislas  instantly  set  off  with  a  thousand  men ;  he  has 
invested  the  convent ;  his  artillery  are  ready  planted  for 
shelling  the  place,  and  he  now  awaits  orders  from  you." 
; '  Orders  '  ?  "  repeated  Zabern  with  contempt.  "  My 
orders  should  be,  '  Consider  yourself  cashiered  for  in 
competence.'  How  many  Russians  do  you  suppose  there 
are  in  the  convent  ? " 

"  I  cannot  state  the  number,  marshal  —  sufficient  evi 
dently  to  overpower  the  monks,  and  to  hold  the  place  in 
case  of  siege." 

"  And  the  rest  of  the  Czar's  forces  ?  " 

"  Are  abiding  quietly  in  their  camp  on  the  other  side  of 
the  frontier." 

"  Gladly  would  I  come,  Nikita,  to  direct  operations,  but 
that  I  dare  not  leave  the  side  of  the  princess,  for  there  is 
more  danger  to  be  apprehended  here  than  before  the  con 
vent.  Dorislas  shall  see  me  with  all  speed  as  soon  as  the 
coronation  is  over.  Meantime  here  are  his  orders." 

And  the  marshal  wrote  upon  a  slip  of  paper :  "  Main 
tain  cordon  till  my  arrival.  Do  nothing  unless  attacked. 
-ZABERN." 

Taking  the  note,  Nikita  rode  off,  his  breakneck  pace 
along  the  boulevard  again  exciting  the  wonder  of  the 
populace. 

"  This  holding  of  the  coronation  while  the  foe  is  on 
Czernovese  ground  might  seem  a  jest  to  some,"  mur 
mured  Zabern ;  "  yet  if,  as  I  am  hoping,  the  ceremony 
should  tempt  the  Czar  to  come  forward  personally  to 
oppose  the  princess's  rights,  then  all  may  yet  be  well. 
Since  Nicholas  has  chosen  to  make  an  armed  raid  upon 
our  territory,  let  him  not  complain  if  he  should  find  him- 

371 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

self  a  prisoner  of  war.  And  with  the  Czar  in  our  hands 
we  shall  be  masters  of  the  game." 

On  turning  to  enter  the  porch,  Zabern  was  met  by  the 
chief  court  official,  to  whom  had  been  committed  all  the 
arrangements  connected  with  the  coronation. 

"  Marshal,  the  cathedral  is  full  to  overflowing,  and  yet 
there  are  hundreds  at  the  northern  porch  clamoring  for 
admittance,  and  all  provided  with  proper  orders." 

"  Very  bad  arrangement  on  your  part." 

"  Not  so,  marshal.  The  tickets  issued  did  not  exceed 
the  seating  accommodation." 

"  Ha !  "  said  Zabern,  alive  to  the  significance  of  this 
statement ;  "  you  mean  that  there  are  several  hundred 
persons  within  who  have  no  right  to  be  there?  " 

"  That  is  so,  marshal.  The  whole  body  of  the  northern 
transept  is  filled  with  men  who,  I  am  certain,  have  gained 
entrance  by  means  of  forged  orders.  Among  these  men  I 
recognize  many  Muscovites,  not  ruffians  from  Russograd, 
but  Muscovites  of  the  nobler  and  wealthier  class." 

"  So !  "  murmured  Zabern.  "  Their  plot  of  the  barri 
cades  having  been  forestalled  and  thwarted,  the  enemy 
are  resorting  to  new  manoeuvres." 

"  Some  are  in  uniform,  and  some  in  court  dress,  and 
hence  they  are  armed  with  swords.  If  we  should  attempt 
to  expel  them  there  will  be  opposition,  tumult,  possibly 
bloodshed.  What 's  to  be  done  ?  " 

"  At  present,  nothing.  Let  us,  if  possible,  avoid  a  riot. 
If  they  choose  to  remain  orderly,  good ;  but  if  it  be  their 
object  to  oppose  the  coronation  by  armed  force,  then  their 
blood  be  upon  their  own  heads." 

"  And  the  multitude  at  the  northern  porch  ?  " 

"  Will  have  to  remain  there,  I  fear,"  replied  Zabern, 
shrugging  his  shoulders. 

He  passed  from  the  porch  to  the  interior  of  the 
edifice. 

The  scene  within  fairly  dazzled  the  eye.  The  rich 
372 


The  Beginning  of  the  Coronation 

dresses  of  the  ladies,  the  splendid  military  costumes  of 
the  men,  formed  a  picture  glowing  with  color ;  on  all 
sides  were  to  be  seen  the  sparkle  of  jewels  and  the  gleam 
of  scarlet  and  gold. 

As  Zabern  slowly  made  his  way  towards  his  allotted 
seat  in  the  choir,  he  did  not  fail  to  notice  certain  mocking 
glances  cast  at  him  by  the  occupants  of  the  northern 
transept.  Mischief  was  evidently  the  object  of  their  as 
sembling;  but  inasmuch  as  they  were  inferior  in  number 
to  the  Poles  present,  and  as  a  word  on  his  part  could 
instantly  set  in  motion  the  military  both  inside  and  out 
side  the  cathedral,  Zabern  viewed  this  Muscovite  gather 
ing  without  any  alarm. 

The  chancel,  elevated  considerably  above  the  general 
level  of  the  cathedral-pavement,  was  the  cynosure  of  all 
eyes. 

On  the  altar  were  the  sacramental  vessels,  the  princely 
regalia,  and  the  document  supposed  to  be  the  original 
Czernovese  Charter,  never  publicly  exhibited,  except  at 
a  coronation. 

To  the  left  of  the  altar  was  an  oaken  chair  in  which  the 
princess  would  sit,  till  the  time  came  for  her  to  take  her 
place  on  the  throne. 

Respectively  north  and  south  of  the  altar,  and  each 
vying  with  the  other  in  splendor  of  vestment,  stood  the 
two  ecclesiastics  who  were  to  officiate  in  the  ceremony, 
the  Greek  Archpastor  Mosco,  and  the  mitred  Abbot 
Faustus ;  the  latter  a  good  man,  and  a  stern  old  patriot, 
quite  capable,  as  Zabern  had  said,  of  blowing  himself 
to  fragments,  if  Polish  interests  should  require  such 
sacrifice. 

While  Zabern  from  his  place  was  intently  studying  the 
occupants  of  the  northern  transept,  under  the  belief  that 
the  Czar  was  concealed  somewhere  among  them,  a  small 
door  in  the  left  wall  of  the  choir  opened,  and  Barbara 
entered,  bare-headed,  and  clothed  in  her  coronation-robe, 

373 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

—  a  vestment  of  purple  velvet,  bordered  with  ermine,  and 
gleaming  with  pearls.  Four  ladies  attended  her  as  train- 
bearers. 

Awed  by  the  solemnity  of  the  occasion,  she  was  very 
pale,  and  with  the  glory  of  the  sunlight  illumining  her 
figure  as  she  moved  forward  with  slow  and  majestic  pace, 
she  seemed  to  her  adherents  afar  off  like  a  fair  vision 
from  another  world. 

According  to  the  prescribed  ritual,  the  first  part  of  the 
ceremony  consisted  in  reading  a  chapter  from  one  of  the 
Four  Evangelists,  a  duty  which  by  previous  arrange 
ment  fell  to  the  lot  of  Mosco. 

As  soon,  therefore,  as  Barbara  had  taken  her  place  in 
the  oaken  chair,  she  glanced  at  the  archpastor  as  a  sign 
for  him  to  begin. 

Now  great  importance  was  attached  both  by  the  Poles 
and  the  Muscovites  to  this  reading  of  the  Gospel.  The 
lection  was  neither  appointed  beforehand  nor  chosen  by 
the  ecclesiastic  officiating;  it  was  left  to  the  guidance 
of  chance,  or  rather,  as  the  Czernovese  themselves  be 
lieved,  to  the  will  of  the  Deity.  The  lector,  following  a 
usage  of  mediaeval  times,  was  required  to  open  the  holy 
volume  at  random  and  to  read  the  first  chapter  upon 
which  his  eye  should  happen  to  light.  It  was  believed 
that  the  portion  thus  hit  on  would  contain  something  ap 
plicable  to  the  person  crowned  or  even  prophetic  of  the 
character  of  the  reign. 

As  Mosco  with  dignified  bearing  moved  to  the  lectern, 
he  passed  close  to  Zabern,  whose  quick  ear  instantly  de 
tected  a  peculiar  sound  beneath  the  archpastor's  brocaded 
and  jewelled  cassock,  —  a  sound  which  the  marshal  could 
liken  only  to  the  trail  of  a  steel  scabbard. 

"  As  I  live  the  fellow  is  armed,"  he  muttered.  "  A  holy 
prelate  with  a  sword  beneath  his  gown !  There  's  treason 
here." 

Zabern's  first  impulse  was  to  spring  up,  and  tearing  off 
374 


The  Beginning  of  the  Coronation 

Mosco's  gown,  to  expose  him  to  the  assembly  as  an  armed 
conspirator. 

It  might  be,  however,  that,  like  himself,  the  archpas- 
tor  anticipated  that  there  would  be  rioting  and  fighting 
at  the  coronation,  and  hence  he  had  as  much  right  as 
others  to  carry  arms  for  his  own  defence. 

Zabern  therefore  refrained  from  violence,  but  his  keen 
eyes  were  attentive  to  every  movement  of  Mosco. 

On  the  brazen  lectern,  which  stood  upon  the  edge  of 
the  choir,  directly  facing  the  assembly,  lay  a  volume  of 
the  Four  Evangelists,  closed  and  clasped. 

Mosco  unfastened  the  clasp,  and  then  evidently  wishing 
to  be  thought  clear  of  all  suspicion  of  designedly  choos 
ing  his  lection,  he  turned  away  his  head,  and  with  nimble 
fingers  threw  open  the  volume ;  and  yet  in  spite  of  this, 
Zabern  was  impressed  with  the  belief  that  the  Greek  prel 
ate  knew  beforehand  at  what  page  the  book  was  open. 
He  had  not  forgotten  that  this  reading  of  the  Gospel  had 
been  selected  by  Mosco  himself  as  his  part  in  the  corona 
tion-ceremony,  and  he  recalled  the  archpastor's  peculiar 
smile  at  the  time  of  his  choosing  the  office.  Was  the 
mystery  about  to  be  solved? 

Turning  his  eyes  upon  the  opened  volume,  Mosco 
began  to  read.  The  lection  obtained  by  this  sors  sacra 
proved  to  be  the  opening  chapter  of  the  Fourth  Gospel. 

With  a  curious  anticipatory  interest  the  assembly  lis 
tened  to  the  reading,  prepared  to  catch  at  any  verse  which 
might  be  twisted  into  some  allusion  to  the  princess  and 
her  reign. 

Mosco,  in  a  magnificent  bass  voice  and  with  majestic 
delivery,  read  through  five  verses.  Then,  making  a  mo 
mentary  pause,  he  resumed,  changing  his  tone  to  one  of 
peculiar  emphasis,  — 

'  There  was  a  man  sent  from  God  whose  name  was 
John  — '  " 

"  And  there  he  is !  "  cried  a  voice  that  rang  like  a 
375 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

clarion  all  over  the  cathedral,  the  voice  of  Feodor  Or- 
loff ;  "  there  he  is !  John,  Duke  of  Bora.  People  of 
Czernova,  listen  to  the  voice  of  God." 

Scarcely  had  the  words  been  spoken  when  the  Duke  of 
Bora  was  seen  emerging  from  the  northern  transept. 


376 


CHAPTER   XVIII 

THE   GREAT    WHITE    CZAR 

THE  sudden  utterance  of  Count  Orloff,  combined 
with   the   simultaneous   appearance   of   the   Duke 
of  Bora,  caused  an  electric  thrill  to  pervade  the 
cathedral. 

The  holy  Gospels,  appealed  to  by  a  method  approved 
by  both  factions  alike,  seemed  to  have  given  a  mandate 
in  favor  of  the  duke,  to  the  confusion  of  the  adherents  of 
the  princess.    The  occupants  of  the  northern  aisle,  as  well 
as  of  the  northern  transept,  gave  instant  proof  of  the  side 
on  which  their  sympathies  lay.     They  rose  to  their  feet 
as  one  man,  and  ignoring  the  sacred  character  of  the 
place,  gave  vent  to  tumultuous  cries. 
"  The  holy  oracles  are  on  our  side !  " 
;'  They  bid  us  elect  a  man,  and  not  a  woman !  " 
"  A  John,  and  not  a  Natalie !  " 
"  One  sent  from  God,  and  not  from  Rome !  " 
"  Bora,  Bora !    Give  us  Bora !    The  duke  is  our  ruler !  " 
Their  voices  immediately  became  lost  in  the  overwhelm 
ing  shouts  of  the  Poles,  who  likewise  rose  to  their  feet, 
and  replied  by  counter-cries. 

"  The  princess !  the  princess !  We  will  have  none  but 
Natalie  Lilieska !  "  There  was  not  a  shadow  of  doubt  in 
Zabern's  mind  that  the  assembling  of  the  Muscovites  in 
the  northern  transept,  the  apt  lection  of  Mosco,  the  ut 
terance  of  Orloff,  and  the  sudden  appearing  of  the  duke 
were  all  parts  of  a  preconcerted  arrangement. 

"  Holy  hireling  of  the  duke !  "  he  said,  grinding  his 
teeth  and  addressing  Mosco,  "  you  have  done  your  work. 

377 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

Stand  from  the  choir,  or  by  heaven !  "  he  continued,  half 
unsheathing  his  sabre,  "  I  '11  add  a  martyr  to  the  Russian 
calendar." 

"  Thou  hast  the  wisdom  of  the  serpent,  marshal,  though 
scarcely  the  innocence  of  the  dove,"  sneered  the  archpas- 
tor,  who  had  many  an  old  score  to  settle  with  Zabern. 
"  We  will  see  if  thy  wit  can  get  the  better  of  this  situa 
tion.  No  Catholic  ruler  in  Czernova !  " 

And  directing  a  glance  of  scarcely  disguised  hatred 
towards  the  princess,  he  withdrew  from  the  choir  and 
took  his  station  among  the  Muscovites. 

Amid  wild  excitement  the  Duke  of  Bora,  his  face  some 
what  pale,  continued  to  advance  till  he  reached  the  open 
space  fronting  the  choir,  where  he  stood  visible  to  all  in 
the  cathedral. 

His  outward  appearance  was  sufficiently  indicative  of 
the  power  upon  which  he  relied  for  support,  for  he  was 
clad  in  the  grand  uniform  of  a  marshal  of  the  Seminovski 
Guards,  and  carried  on  his  breast  the  cross  of  Saint  An 
drew,  the  blue  riband  of  Russia. 

At  his  approach  the  princess  rose  from  her  seat.  The 
two  factions  perceiving  her  action,  and  curious  to  learn 
what  she  would  say,  ceased  their  raging. 

"  Marshal  Zabern,"  cried  Barbara  in  a  voice  that 
sounded  like  music  after  the  raucous  clamor  of  the  pre 
vious  few  moments :  "  I  call  upon  you  to  re-arrest  that 
escaped  prisoner,  and  to  conduct  him  to  the  Citadel." 

"  You  threaten  me  with  imprisonment  ?  "  exclaimed 
Bora  with  a  stern  air.  "  It  is  mine  to  threaten,  and  yours 
to  fear.  People  of  Czernova,"  he  continued,  turning  from 
the  choir  to  address  the  assembly,  "  hear  a  revelation, 
strange  yet  true.  She  who  sits  there  has  no  right  to  the 
crown,  inasmuch  as  she  is  not  Natalie  Lilieska,  but  an 
impostor  bearing  a  marvellous  resemblance  to  that  prin 
cess.  The  true  Natalie  died  in  Dalmatia  more  than  two 
years  ago." 

378 


The  Great  White  Czar 

The  duke's  words  destroyed  Zabern's  lingering  hope 
that  Ravenna's  letter  might  have  miscarried,  for  how  had 
Bora  become  possessed  of  his  present  knowledge,  except 
through  the  medium  of  the  cardinal's  dove? 

"  Marshal  Zabern,"  continued  the  duke,  pointing  to 
Barbara,  "  I  call  upon  you  to  arrest  an  impostor  who 
usurps  my  throne." 

"  And  you  may  call,"  replied  Zabern. 

The  duke's  statement  drew  derisive  laughter  from  the 
Poles ;  it  was  too  absurd  for  belief,  a  malicious  invention 
of  a  disappointed  suitor.  At  this  point  Polonaski  the  Jus 
ticiary,  who  occupied  a  seat  directly  fronting  the  choir, 
arose  and  addressed  the  princess. 

"  Lady,"  he  began,  and  showing  by  that  word  that  he, 
too,  like  Mosco,  had  taken  the  side  of  her  enemies,  "  lady, 
you  have  heard  the  duke's  accusation.  Let  this  assembly 
learn  from  you  whether  the  charge  be  true." 

It  was  hard  for  a  youthful  and  spirited  princess  to  be 
catechised  by  a  minister  who  had  suddenly  turned  against 
her. 

"  Your  Highness,  do  not  answer  the  traitorous  gray- 
beard,"  said  Zabern. 

For  a  moment  only  did  Barbara  hesitate. 

"  It  is  true  that  I  am  not  Natalie  Lilieska." 

An  earthquake  rocking  the  cathedral-pavement  could 
not  have  dismayed  the  Poles  more  than  had  this  startling 
acknowledgment.  True  it  must  be,  since  she  herself  ad 
mitted  the  impeachment,  —  an  impeachment  fatal  to  her 
own  interests.  And  if  she  must  cease  to  be  princess,  what 
would  become  of  them  under  the  rule  of  Bora? 

The  Muscovites,  themselves  bewildered  with  the  un 
foreseen  turn  taken  by  events,  sat  as  silent  as  the  Poles. 

"  Consider  well  what  you  say,"  observed  Polonaski 
with  a  slight  smile  of  triumph.  "  You  dethrone  your 
self  by  that  statement." 

"  Not  so,"  replied  Barbara.    "  So  long  as  I  should  have 
379 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

lived,  the  Princess  Natalie  could  not  have  reigned ;  in 
asmuch  as  I  am  her  elder  sister  Barbara,  and  therefore 
lawfully  entitled  to  the  throne." 

The  Poles  raised  a  shout  of  applause;  though  some 
what  dubious  as  to  the  truth  of  Barbara's  statement,  they 
were  prepared  to  welcome  it,  as  well  as  any  other  device 
which  might  deliver  them  from  the  power  of  the  duke. 

"  Barbara  Lilieska,"  returned  the  Justiciary,  "  is  a  per 
son  of  whose  existence  Czernova  has  hitherto  been  igno 
rant.  Princess  Stephanie,  wife  of  the  late  Thaddeus,  had 
but  one  daughter,  Natalie." 

"  I  am  the  daughter  of  an  earlier  marriage." 

"  You  bring  strange  tidings  to  our  ears.  It  was  never 
known  in  Czernova  that  Prince  Thaddeus  was  twice 
wedded.  Have  you  proof  of  this  former  marriage?" 

"  Yes,"  replied  Barbara,  inspired  by  a  sudden  thought, 
"  I  will  cite  yourself,  Polonaski,  as  a  witness,  for  at  the 
time  of  my  father's  demise  you  were  present  with  other 
ministers  in  the  death-chamber.  You  can  testify  that 
Prince  Thaddeus  handed  the  diadem  to  me  with  the 
words :  '  To  you,  my  daughter  lawfully  born,  do  I  be 
queath  this  crown,  to  be  held  for  the  weal  of  Czernova.' 
Do  you  mark  the  words  '  lawfully  born  '  ?  Ill  would  my 
sire  merit  his  title  of  '  The  Good  '  if  he  died  in  the  utter 
ance  of  a  lie.  And  what  I  have  received,  that  will  I  keep." 

The  thunders  of  Polish  applause  in  no  way  disconcerted 
the  calm  and  forensic  Polonaski. 

:'  The  word  of  the  dying  prince  is  not  legal  proof,"  he 
answered.  "  And,  moreover,  lady,  you  yourself,  in  con 
cealing  your  own  identity  and  in  taking  the  name  of  an 
other,  have  given  clear  evidence  of  disbelief  in  the  claim 
that  you  now  put  forward." 

"  People  of  Czernova,"  said  the  duke,  raising  his  voice, 
and  again  addressing  the  assembly,  "  I  affirm  that  she 
who  calls  herself  Barbara  Lilieska  was  not  born  in  lawful 
wedlock,  but  is  a  natural  daughter  of  the  late  Prince 

380 


The  Great  White  Czar 

Thaddeus,  and  as  such  is  debarred  from  the  succession. 
In  the  days  of  old,"  he  continued,  "  when  Czernova  was 
a  palatinate,  the  palatine  at  his  investiture,  was  always 
prepared,  either  in  person  or  by  deputy,  to  defend  his 
rights  with  the  sword,  nor  was  the  rite  discontinued  when 
the  palatines  became  princes  and  the  investiture  a  coro 
nation.  I  invoke  the  ancient  law  of  the  land  and  claim 
the  ordeal  of  battle.  I  demand  that  the  princess,  so- 
called,  shall  meet  me  by  deputy  in  single  combat.  There 
is  my  gage,"  he  added,  flinging  his  leathern  gauntlet  upon 
the  flagstone  of  the  choir.  "  Let  the  sword  decide  be 
tween  us." 

A  triumphant  laugh  arose  from  the  Muscovites.  Where 
was  the  champion  who  would  face  the  duke's  deadly 
blade  ?  Not  even  Zabern  durst  pick  up  that  glove.  Will 
ingly  would  he  have  sacrificed  his  life  in  the  cause  of 
the  princess,  but  death  in  this  case  would  mean  her 
deposition. 

"  The  stars  in  their  courses  fight  against  Czernova," 
muttered  Zabern,  clenching  his  one  and  only  hand. 
"  Long  ago,  foreseeing  this  challenge  would  be  given,  I 
provided,  as  I  thought,  for  the  event.  And  now  we  must 
decline  the  combat,  for  our  swordsman,"  he  added  in  de 
spair,  "  our  swordsman  is  absent." 

"  It  is  now  eleven,"  remarked  Polonaski.  The  cathe 
dral  clock  was  chiming  as  he  spoke.  "  The  princess  must 
appoint  her  champion  within  an  hour  from  the  giving  of 
the  challenge,  the  duel  itself  to  take  place  upon  the  same 
day  as  the  challenge.  So  runs  the  statute." 

The  mild  and  pacific  Radzivil  had  beheld  with  indigna 
tion  the  casting  down  of  the  duke's  glove. 

"  What  a  return  to  barbarism  is  this,"  he  cried,  address 
ing  the  Justiciary,  "  to  make  the  crown  of  Czernova  de 
pendent  upon  the  result  of  a  duel !  The  statute  which 
you  cite  is  five  hundred  years  old.  It  is  obsolete,  quite 
obsolete." 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

"  By  your  favor,"  replied  Polonaski,  cool  and  judicial 
as  ever,  "  permit  me,  as  the  highest  legal  authority  in 
Czernova,  to  affirm  that  as  that  law  is  still  on  the  statute- 
book  it  is  therefore  valid  and  of  good  effect." 

"  Your  contention  is  null  and  void,"  said  Zabern,  "  in 
asmuch  as  the  Diet  has  passed  a  law  against  duelling." 

"  Against  ordinary  duelling  —  true ;  but  the  recent 
statute  contains  no  clause  against  the  coronation-combat, 
which,  therefore,  stands  as  part  of  the  law  of  the  land." 

"  The  ex- Justiciary,"  said  Barbara,  deposing  him  from 
his  office  by  a  word,  even  as  he  had  deposed  her  by  a 
word,  "  the  ex- Justiciary,  as  the  interpreter  of  the  law, 
should  know  that  a  traitor  has  no  legal  standing.  The 
duke  has  shown  himself  a  traitor  to  the  state,  and  is  there 
fore  not  in  a  position  to  impugn  his  sovereign." 

"  No  court  of  justice  has  yet  proved  him  to  be  a 
traitor,"  replied  the  inflexible  Polonaski.  "  We  cannot 
accept  the  word  of  even  the  lawful  sovereign  as  the  voice 
of  the  law,  still  less  the  word  of  an  usurper." 

"  An  usurper  and  a  harlot's  daughter,"  cried  the  voice 
of  Orloff  from  amid  the  Muscovite  ranks. 

At  this  a  deep  murmur  of  indignation  ran  through  the 
Polish  part  of  the  assembly. 

"  Men  of  Czernova,"  cried  a  woman's  voice,  "  do  you 
sit  thus  inactive,  letting  your  princess  be  opposed  and  in 
sulted  by  the  Czar's  hirelings  ?  Where  is  the  ancient  spirit 
of  the  Poles  fled?  Would  our  forefathers  have  won  this 
banner  if  they  had  shown  the  timidity  that  you  now 
show  ?  " 

All  eyes  turned  towards  the  speaker,  who  was  none 
other  than  Katina  Ludovska.  Standing  high  upon  a  seat 
in  the  centre  of  the  nave,  she  was  plainly  visible  to  all  in 
the  cathedral.  While  speaking  she  shook  out  the  silken 
folds  of  the  standard  she  had  carried  in  the  procession, 
and  with  her  drawn  sword  pointed  to  the  stamp  of  the 
bloody  hand. 

382 


The  Great  White  Czar 

Her  action  was  well  understood  by  the  Poles.  What 
their  fathers  had  done  they  could  do.  Her  gesture  was  a 
tacit  incentive  to  rise,  to  give  battle  to  the  Muscovites, 
and  to  sweep  them  from  the  cathedral.  In  silver  helm 
and  corselet  Katina  stood  aloft,  looking  like  some  fair 
Amazon  of  ancient  days.  With  eyes  starry  with  patriotic 
fire,  she  waved  the  standard,  and  began  to  sing  in  a  firm, 
sweet  voice  that  penetrated  to  the  most  distant  part  of  the 
cathedral,  — 

"  Boja  ro-dzica  dziewica 
Bojiem  wslavisna  Marya  —  " 

A  wave  of  emotion  thrilled  the  assembly  as  these  words 
fell  upon  their  ears. 

"  The  old  Polish  battle-hymn !  "  muttered  Zabern.  "  By 
God,  there  '11  be  slaughter  now." 

It  was  indeed  the  famous  hymn  of  Saint  Adalbert,  the 
anthem  accustomed  to  be  sung  in  old  time  by  the  Poles 
when  moving  forward  to  battle,  the  paean  that  has  struck 
terror  to  the  heart  of  Muscovite,  Tartar,  and  Turk  in 
those  brave  days  when  Poland  was  the  bulwark  of  Chris 
tendom  against  the  barbarism  of  the  East. 

The  memory  of  their  past  glories  fired  the  blood  of 
every  patriot  in  the  cathedral  to  an  enthusiasm  bordering 
on  frenzy.  Moved  by  a  simultaneous  impulse,  the  whole 
body  of  Poles  sprang  to  their  feet,  drew  their  swords,  and 
began  to  join  in  the  refrain;  and  Katina's  voice  was  im 
mediately  drowned  in  one  grand  outpouring. 

The  sparkle  of  a  thousand  sword-blades  waving  in  the 
iridescent  light  cast  by  richly  stained  glass,  the  coloring 
and  splendor  of  dresses  and  jewels,  the  magnificent  roll 
of  voices  beneath  the  lofty  Gothic  arches,  the  notes  of  the 
organ  pealing  high  above  the  chant  —  for  the  organist, 
catching  the  fire  of  patriotism,  was  pressing  the  keys  of 
his  instrument  as  he  had  never  pressed  them  before  — 
were  sights  and  sounds  that  baffle  description.  Strong 

383 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

men  sang  with  tears  in  their  eyes,  and  women  fainted 
with  emotion. 

Now,  as  previously  stated,  the  Muscovites  occupied  the 
northern  aisle  and  its  adjacent  transept,  a  narrow  space 
only  separating  them  from  the  Poles  in  the  nave.  Across 
this  division  the  two  factions  glared  fiercely  at  each  other ; 
threats  were  uttered ;  challenges  interchanged ;  and  when 
the  Muscovites  in  turn  began  to  raise  the  Russian  Na 
tional  Anthem  the  berserker  spirit  of  the  Poles  broke 
forth. 

"  Down  with  the  Muscovites  !  " 

"  Sweep  them  from  the  cathedral !  " 

"  The  princess  forever !  " 

"  No.     Duke  of  Bora  !  " 

Katina  herself,  skilled  in  the  use  of  the  sword,  was  the 
first  in  the  fray,  the  standard  still  held  in  her  hand. 

"  Take  to  your  guard,  knouter  of  women !  "  she  cried, 
singling  out  her  old  enemy,  the  ex-governor  of  Orenburg. 

Her  example  found  ready  imitators,  and  in  a  moment 
more  the  clash  of  steel  went  ringing  down  the  northern 
aisle. 

Half-a-dozen  Muscovites,  sword  in  hand,  sprang  for 
ward,  and  facing  outwards,  formed  a  protecting  circle 
around  the  person  of  the  duke,  who,  for  his  part,  stood 
with  folded  arms,  a  passive  and  silent  spectator  of  the 
wild  work  that  was  taking  place. 

Zabern,  desirous  of  defending  Katina,  drew  his  sabre 
and  endeavored  to  force  his  way  through  the  two  oppos 
ing  lines  to  the  place  where  the  red-handed  banner  waved 
like  a  rallying  beacon  above  the  flashing  points  of  steel. 

Barbara  rose  to  her  feet  and  gazed  with  grief  upon  a 
scene,  the  like  of  which,  though  rarely  witnessed  in  mod 
ern  times  within  the  hallowed  interior  of  a  cathedral,  was 
familiar  enough  in  the  old  Byzantine  days  when  the  elec 
tion  of  a  bishop  had  often  to  be  decided  by  an  appeal  to 
arms. 

384 


The  Great  White  Czar 

She  was  in  the  act  of  bidding  Radzivil  summon  the 
military  to  part  the  combatants,  when  a  sudden  and  strik 
ing  apparition  rendered  the  command  unnecessary. 

"  Down  with  your  arms!  " 

The  voice  in  which  these  words  were  uttered  rose  like 
thunder  above  the  melee,  compelling  even  the  two  long 
lines  of  combatants  to  pause  and  turn  their  eyes  towards 
the  speaker.  On  the  edge  of  the  choir,  and  with  hand 
uplifted,  stood  a  stately  figure  clothed  in  a  brilliant  and 
imposing  uniform,  a  figure  half  a  head  taller  at  least  than 
the  usual  height  of  men,  and  standing  as  he  did  upon  the 
elevated  pavement  of  the  choir,  his  stature  seemed  more 
than  human. 

Though  few  in  the  cathedral  had  ever  before  seen  this 
personage,  yet  all  recognized  in  a  moment  the  superb 
brow,  the  severe,  haughty  features,  the  dark  eyes  always 
melancholy,  even  when  the  mouth  smiled. 

"  The  devil  himself  at  last !  "  murmured  Zabern,  a  grim 
joy  stealing  over  his  face.  "  Now  have  the  saints  deliv 
ered  him  as  a  hostage  into  our  hands !  " 

The  stranger's  form  seemed  really  to  dilate,  as,  with 
the  voice  of  one  born  to  command,  he  again  cried,  — 

"  Down  with  your  arms !  " 

Furious  conspirators,  advancing  to  slay,  had  once  been 
awed  and  checked  by  that  lofty  voice,  that  majestic  pres 
ence,  which  did  not  fail  now  to  produce  a  remarkable 
effect. 

"  The  Czar !  the  Czar !  "  cried  the  Poles. 

"  The  little  father !  the  little  father ! "  cried  the 
Muscovites. 

The  fighting  ceased.  The  assailants  on  each  side  fell 
back.  Slowly  the  tumult  died  away  in  utter  silence.  The 
wounded  repressed  their  groans ;  for  wounded  there 
were ;  many,  too,  brief  as  had  been  the  combat ;  and  one 
man  lay  dead  upon  the  pavement,  slain  by  the  hand  of  a 
woman. 

*5  385 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

The  Czar,  for  it  was  in  truth  the  mighty  Nicholas, 
turned  his  face  slowly  round  upon  all  sides.  The  fiercest 
of  the  Poles  felt  compelled  to  sheathe  his  blade  and  to  re 
sume  his  seat  as  that  terrible  eye  fell  upon  him.  Who 
durst  continue  to  assail  a  Muscovite  with  the  lord  of  the 
Muscovites  looking  on,  even  though  that  lord  were  with 
out  a  single  guard? 

It  was  somewhat  mortifying  to  Barbara's  pride  that  the 
cessation  of  the  strife  should  have  been  caused  by  the 
authority  of  the  Czar  rather  than  by  her  own,  since  it 
seemed  to  place  him  upon  a  higher  plane  than  herself. 
Clearly  he  had  prevented  a  massacre  of  her  Muscovite 
subjects,  and  thus  far  thanks  were  due  to  him.  But  Bar 
bara  was  in  no  mood  to  offer  courtesies  to  one  who  had 
always  shown  himself  a  bitter  enemy.  The  very  author 
ity  now  assumed  by  him  was  an  infringement  of  her  own, 
and  put  her  instantly  upon  her  mettle. 

Among  the  combatants  there  was  one  at  least  who  re 
tained  an  undaunted  mien,  namely,  Katina.  She  ad 
vanced  towards  the  choir,  wiping  her  reddened  blade 
upon  the  silken  standard,  which  during  the  fray  had 
become  detached  from  the  staff. 

At  the  edge  of  the  choir  Katina  knelt. 

"  Seek  not  pardon  of  me,"  exclaimed  the  Czar  loftily, 
mistaking  her  purpose.  "  You  who  commenced  the  fray, 
you  who  have  slain  one  of  my  own  subjects!  " 

;'  The  stars  shall  fall  from  heaven  ere  Katina  Ludovska 
craves  pardon  of  Nicholas  Paulovitch,"  scornfully  replied 
the  Polish  maiden,  ever  mindful  of  the  fact  that  the  war 
rant  condemning  her  to  receive  the  knout  was  signed  with 
this  same  name,  Nicholas  Paulovitch.  "  Your  Highness," 
she  continued,  still  on  her  knees,  and  addressing  Barbara, 
"  if  through  zeal  I  have  wrought  amiss  in  slaying  one 
who  traduced  the  fair  name  of  my  princess,  of  you  alone 
I  crave  pardon." 

"  If  the  name  of  him  whom  you  have  slain  be  Feodor 
386 


The  Great  White  Czar 

Orloff,"  said  Barbara,  "  then  have  you  done  a  good  deed, 
and  you  need  ask  pardon  of  none." 

A  Russian  governor  slain  in  the  very  presence  of  the 
Czar,  and  the  princess  justifying  the  deed !  Barbara's 
ministers  sat  completely  dumfounded  by  her  boldness. 
There  were  two  sovereigns  in  the  choir,  each  contending 
for  the  mastery;  which  would  prevail? 

Turning  to  the  emperor  with  an  air  of  dignity  and  self- 
possession,  Barbara  said,  — 

"  Let  the  Czar  explain  by  what  right  he  has  set  free  a 
traitor  imprisoned  by  my  authority." 

Such  language  as  this  was  new  to  the  autocrat,  who 
is  credited  with  the  saying,  "  Let  there  be  no  will  in 
Russia  but  that  of  the  Czar."  He  glanced  with  surprise, 
not  unmixed  with  admiration,  at  the  young  girl  who  faced 
him  so  spiritedly. 

"  What  gives  you  such  boldness  in  the  presence  of  the 
Czar?" 

;'  The  Charter  of  your  ancestress  Catherine." 

"  Catherine,  't  is  true,  granted  to  the  palatines  of  Czer- 
nova  the  title  of  princes,  but  conferred  no  independence 
upon  them.  The  story  of  the  Charter  is  a  myth." 

"  Your  Majesty  may  see  upon  the  altar  here  the  identi 
cal  document  itself,  signed  by  the  hand  of  the  empress." 

;'  That,"  replied  Nicholas,  scarcely  deigning  to  turn 
his  eyes  in  the  direction  indicated,  "  that  document  is  a 
forgery,  as  Marshal  Zabern  can  prove." 

"  I  plainly  see  that  a  little  bird  has  been  whispering  to 
him,"  murmured  Zabern  to  himself. 

A  scornful  repudiation  trembled  upon  Barbara's  lips, 
but  it  died  away  when  she  beheld  Zabern's  grave 
look. 

"  Marshal,  is  not  that  the  original  Charter  of  Cath 
erine?  " 

There  was  something  so  wistful  and  pathetic  in  her  ex 
pression  —  an  expression  which  plainly  said,  "  Let  me 

387 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

know  the  worst,"  —  that  Zabern  felt  he  could  no  longer 
deceive  her. 

"  It  is  a  faithful  transcript,  so  please  your  Highness." 

Barbara  understood  the  significant  reply.  Zabern,  in 
describing  to  her  the  plot  formed  by  Bora  and  Orloff  for 
the  destruction  of  the  Charter,  had  represented  the  scheme 
as  resulting  in  failure.  She  now  perceived  that  from  pity 
the  marshal  had  kept  the  terrible  truth  from  her,  endeav 
oring  to  repair  Czernova's  loss  by  means  of  a  forged 
document.  Wrong  of  him,  doubtless,  but  the  fault  lay 
more  with  those  whose  wickedness  had  compelled  him  to 
resort  to  such  a  policy. 

Outwardly  Barbara  was  as  firm  and  as  brave  as  ever, 
but  inwardly  she  felt  that  her  throne  was  going,  nay,  had 
gone  from  her.  And  bitter  indeed  was  it  to  see  the  crafty 
flourishing  in  their  craftiness. 

She  beckoned  Zabern  to  her  side. 

"  So,  marshal,"  she  whispered  sadly,  but  not  reproach 
fully,  "  you  have  deceived  me." 

"  With  good  intent,  your  Highness." 

"  Is  forgery  good  ?  " 

"  Yes,  in  this  case.  Do  you  blame  me,  princess,  for 
seeking  to  maintain  the  liberties  of  Czernova  ?  " 

"  111  would  it  become  me  to  blame  you,  Zabern,  espe 
cially  at  such  time  as  this." 

She  turned  from  him  to  listen  to  the  Czar,  who  seemed 
to  be  addressing  herself  and  the  assembly  in  common. 

"  The  marshal,"  he  said,  "  dare  not  uphold  the  genuine 
ness  of  the  document  upon  the  altar.  It  is  now  manifest 
that  Czernova  can  show  no  valid  title  to  the  autonomy  it 
has  so  long  exercised.  It  is  an  integral  part  of  the  Rus 
sian  dominion,  and  to-day  we  resume  our  usurped  au 
thority.  As  sovereign-lord  of  this  principality  we  declare 
the  claim  of  the  present  occupant  of  the  throne  to  be  null 
and  void." 

"  On  what  ground  ?  "  inquired  Radzivil. 
388 


The  Great  White  Czar 

"  On  the  ground  alleged  by  the  duke  —  illicit  birth." 

Zabern  marked  Barbara's  look  of  humiliation,  and 
thought  it  not  amiss  to  give  the  emperor  quid  pro  quo. 

"  A  difficult  matter  this  proving  of  one's  legitimacy," 
he  observed,  turning  to  the  assembly  as  if  taking  them 
into  his  confidence.  "  I  have  even  known  emperors  to  be 
in  doubt  as  to  the  true  name  of  their  grandfathers." 

This  allusion  to  the  frailties  of  Catherine  drew  a  ter 
rible  look  from  the  Czar.  He  even  laid  hand  upon  his 
sword ;  but,  checking  his  wrath,  he  resumed  his  speech 
to  the  assembly. 

"  And  though  in  the  strict  view  of  the  law  the  Duke  of 
Bora  be  the  rightful  ruler  of  this  principality,  yet  we,  as 
suzerain,  in  the  exercise  of  our  clemency  will  permit  the 
princess  so-called  to  retain  her  throne,  provided  she  can 
produce  a  champion  who  shall  overcome  the  duke  in 
armed  combat." 

"  Then  the  duke's  challenge  meets  with  your  Majesty's 
approval  ?  "  said  Radzivil. 

"  As  suzerain,"  replied  the  emperor,  "  it  is  my  duty  to 
uphold  the  usages  and  institutions  of  the  principality ; 
and  the  Justiciary  —  ' 

"  Ex-Justiciary,"  corrected  Barbara  quietly. 

"  We  will  not  quarrel  as  to  that.  It  is  enough  that  the 
highest  legal  authority  here  present  has  affirmed  that  the 
duke's  action  is  in  entire  assonance  with  the  Czernovese 
law." 

The  Czar  did  not  add,  as  he  might  have  added,  that  it 
was  almost  certain  that  the  duke  would  gain  the  crown 
by  this  arrangement,  which  was  the  reason  why  he,  the 
Autocrat,  had  become  so  suddenly  favorable  to  constitu 
tionalism.  It  would  be  more  polite  to  place  his  kinsman 
Bora  upon  the  throne  under  the  guise  of  law,  than  to 
install  him  by  force  of  arms.  Europe,  then,  could  not 
so  easily  raise  a  protest. 

"  If,"  said  Barbara,  addressing  the  emperor,  "  if  duel- 
389 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

ling  be  so  agreeable  to  your  Majesty,  on  what  ground 
do  you  now  justify  your  former  demand  for  the  extra 
dition  of  the  duke?" 

Nicholas,  little  accustomed  to  be  catechised  or  to  give 
reasons  for  his  conduct,  frowned  and  was  silent. 

Zabern  laughed. 

"  Princess,  you  demand  too  much  in  requiring  a  Czar 
to  be  logical." 

"  And  how,"  asked  Radzivil  of  the  emperor,  "  how  if 
we  should  ignore  the  duke's  claim  and  should  proceed 
with  the  coronation  of  the  princess  ?  " 

The  Czar's  eyes  flashed  at  this  defiance  of  his  authority. 

"  If  you  will  not  uphold  your  own  laws,  there  is  a 
power  upon  the  frontier  that  shall  compel  you  to  do 
so." 

Ill-starred  Barbara !  Publicly  stigmatized  as  illegiti 
mate  ;  her  principality  void  of  its  boasted  Charter ;  her 
dream  of  a  Polish  empire  vanished ;  her  own  throne  of 
Czernova  forfeited  to  the  duke,  inasmuch  as  it  meant 
death  to  any  one  who  should  meet  him  in  combat.  And 
all  this  occurring  in  the  space  of  one  brief  hour  upon  the 
day  which  she  had  anticipated  as  the  most  splendid  of 
her  life ! 

Was  this  to  be  the  end  of  her  triumphal  progress 
through  the  shouting  crowds  of  her  capital  —  doomed 
amid  the  mocking  laughter  of  the  Muscovites  to  quit  the 
cathedral  a  discrowned  princess,  attended  by  a  melan 
choly  train  of  fallen  ministers? 

"  I  am  —  I  AM  princess !  "  she  murmured  between  her 
set  teeth.  "  They  shall  not  drive  me  from  the  throne." 

But  what  booted  it  to  resist?  There,  a  few  paces  off, 
and  sternly  opposed  to  her,  was  the  master  of  many 
legions,  the  lord  of  one-seventh  of  the  globe,  who  had 
but  to  give  the  signal,  and  one  hundred  thousand  troops 
would  come  marching  across  the  border  to  do  his  will. 
She  might  have  Right  on  her  side,  but  he  had  Might,  and 

390 


The  Great  White  Czar 

bitterly  did  she  realize  the  saying  of  the  old  Norse  god : 
"  Force  rules  the  world ;  has  ruled  it ;  shall  rule  it." 

Zabern,  however,  fertile  in  expedients,  was  not  yet  re 
duced  to  a  state  of  despair.  He  had  formed  the  plan  of 
seizing  the  Czar  as  a  prisoner  of  war,  and  of  making  his 
release  conditional  upon  the  cession  of  autonomy  to  Czer- 
nova.  If  Barbara  should  refuse  to  sanction  this  desper 
ate  scheme,  well  then  he,  Zabern,  would  act  without  her, 
finding  a  higher  authority  in  the  interests  of  the  Czerno- 
vese.  Much  as  he  revered  the  princess,  if  that  princess 
should  refuse  to  be  true  to  herself,  it  would  behove  him 
to  put  the  state  before  the  individual. 

He  was  on  the  point  of  communicating  his  design  to 
Barbara  when  Polonaski  rose  to  speak. 

"  The  hour  is  drawing  to  a  close.  She  who  calls  her 
self  princess  has  but  five  minutes  left  in  which  to  appoint 
her  champion." 

At  a  sign  from  the  Czar  the  Duke  of  Bora  stepped  for 
ward  to  renew  his  challenge. 

"  Barbara  Lilieska,"  he  said  amid  a  solemn  hush,  "  I 
call  upon  you  either  to  resign  the  crown  you  have 
usurped,  or  to  defend  it  at  the  sword's  point.  Appoint 
your  champion.  My  desire  is  for  a  man  that  we  may 
fight  together." 

"  Have,  then,  your  desire !  "  cried  a  firm,  clear  voice. 

All  eyes  were  immediately  turned  towards  the  speaker 
who  had  just  entered  the  cathedral  by  the  western  porch, 
—  a  young  man  with  face  bronzed  as  if  by  eastern  suns, 
his  handsome,  athletic  figure  arrayed  in  a  dark-blue  uni 
form  with  silver  facings. 

"  Paul  Woodville,  by  all  that 's  holy !  "  cried  Zabern  in 
an  ecstacy  of  delight. 

'  The  man  who  defeated  me  at  Tajapore,"  murmured 
the  Czar  darkly. 

Amid  a  scene  of  wild  excitement  Paul  moved  towards 
the  choir,  his  long  cloak  hanging  gracefully  from  his 

391 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

shoulders,  his  sabre  clanking  heavily  upon  the  cathedral 
pavement. 

Barbara,  her  heart  beating  wildly,  her  lips  parted  in  a 
smile,  half  of  pride,  half  of  fear,  watched  him,  knowing 
for  what  purpose  he  was  advancing. 

Paul  reached  the  edge  of  the  choir,  and  picking  up  the 
duke's  gauntlet,  which  had  lain  untouched  for  an  hour, 
he  tossed  it  disdainfully  against  its  owner's  face. 

"  Duke  of  Bora,  I  will  do  battle  with  you  to  the  death 
on  behalf  of  the  princess." 

"  One  moment,  young  sir,"  said  Polonaski.  "You  can 
not  nominate  yourself.  The  appointment  rests  with  the 
lady.  Do  you  accept  this  man  as  your  champion  ?  "  he 
added,  turning  to  Barbara. 

"  Oh,  no,  no !  "  cried  Barbara.     "  This  must  not  be." 

A  minute  previously  she  had  been  longing  to  triumph 
over  the  Czar ;  now  the  princess  was  lost  in  the  woman. 
She  would  rather  resign  her  throne  than  put  Paul's  life 
to  such  terrible  hazard. 

The  anguish  pictured  on  her  face,  her  clasped  hands, 
her  form  bent  forward,  attested  the  state  of  her  feelings 
towards  the  handsome  young  Englishman.  There  was 
not  one  person  in  the  cathedral  ignorant  of  the  cause  of 
her  emotion.  Her  love  for  Paul,  and  the  reason  of  his 
going  away,  were  matters  well  known  to  all  the  Czerno- 
vese.  His  sudden  return  at  this  crisis  imparted  an  addi 
tional  interest  to  a  tableau  already  thrilling. 

"  By  heaven,  your  Highness  must  accept  him,"  whis 
pered  Zabern  in  her  ear.  "  I  have  tested  his  swordsman 
ship  in  the  salle  d'armcs  with  a  view  to  this  very  event, 
and  I  know  that  the  duke  has  no  chance  against  him." 

Barbara  remained  silent.  A  struggle  was  taking  place 
in  her  mind.  The  high  spirit  that  had  sustained  her  dur 
ing  the  terrible  strain  of  the  last  twenty-four  hours  was 
beginning  to  give  way.  Her  crown  had  never  brought 
her  anything  but  sorrow.  Why  not  resign  it,  and  depart 

392 


The  Great  White  Czar 

with  Paul  to  his  own  Kentish  home,  that  home  which  he 
had  so  often  described  to  her,  —  a  fair  castellated  hall 
shaded  with  beech-trees  beside  a  cool  lake!  Far  happier 
the  life  of  an  English  lady  than  that  of  a  princess  ruling 
over  a  semi-barbarous  people. 

Polonaski  had  marked  Zabern's  triumphant  smile  at 
the  appearance  of  Paul,  and  that  smile  made  him  some 
what  uneasy,  implying  as  it  did  a  firm  belief  in  Paul's 
ability  to  overcome  the  duke. 

"  Was  not  Captain  Woodville  banished  from  Czer- 
nova?"  he  asked;  "  because  if  so  he  has  no  right  to  be 
on  Czernovese  ground." 

"  Captain  Woodville  retired  from  Czernova  of  his  own 
free  will,"  replied  Zabern.  ;'  The  cabinet  signed  no  de 
cree  of  banishment  against  him." 

Barbara  was  still  wavering  in  mind. 

"  Stick  to  your  throne,"  growled  Zabern. 

"  To  hold  it  as  a  vassal  of  the  Czar !  "  she  murmured 
faintly. 

"  Fear  not.  We  '11  find  a  way  of  defeating  his  claim 
of  suzerainty.  What!  will  you  desert  the  faithful  Poles 
who  have  so  long  stood  by  you?  Will  your  Highness 
resign  your  throne  to  the  duke,  a  traitor  and  assassin, 
when  you  have  the  opportunity  of  giving  him  his  final 
quietus?  Who  slew  Trevisa?  Who  burnt  the  Charter? 
Who  has  brought  the  Russian  army  within  our  borders? 
Who  but  the  duke  ?  And  now  will  you  let  him  triumph  ? 
Give  the  word  for  the  duel.  Princess,  I  know,  I  know," 
he  added  emphatically,  "  that  Captain  Woodville  will 
come  off  victorious." 

At  this  point  the  Czar  spoke. 

"  The  princess  so-called  must  either  appoint  a  champion 
or  prepare  to  abdicate." 

Despair  seized  the  Poles  at  the  thought  of  being  ruled 
by  Bora,  —  Bora,  who  in  his  cups  had  been  heard  to  de 
clare  that  when  he  should  come  to  power,  he  would  har- 

393 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

ness  the  Polish  nobles  to  the  yoke,  and  compel  them  to 
plough  his  fields. 

Loud  murmurs  arose  at  Barbara's  reluctance  to  accept 
Paul  as  her  champion. 

"  Appoint  him,  your  Highness,  appoint  him,"  was  the 
cry. 

"  Let  Captain  Woodville  slay  the  duke,  and  receive  the 
hand  of  the  princess  as  his  reward,"  cried  Zabern. 
"  Have  I  not  said  ?  "  he  added,  addressing  the  assembly. 

The  cathedral  rang  with  a  shout  of  applause,  a  shout 
that  doomed  the  princely  marriage  statute  to  the  limbo 
of  obsolete  things.  Zabern  had  voiced  the  sentiments  of 
the  Poles.  Better  an  untitled  Englishman  than  Bora. 

At  that  moment  the  first  stroke  of  twelve  chimed  from 
the  cathedral  clock.  Barbara's  decision,  if  given  after  the 
hour,  would  be  too  late.  To  his  dismay  Zabern  saw  that 
she  was  on  the  point  of  swooning. 

"  The  word,  princess,  the  word ! "  he  cried,  almost 
savagely. 

"  Barbara,  say  the  word,"  pleaded  Paul  gently. 

She  looked  at  him,  and  was  unable  to  resist  the  wistful, 
earnest  appeal  of  his  eyes. 

"I  accept — Captain  Woodville — as — my — my  cham 
pion,"  she  gasped.  "  Oh !  what  have  I  done  ? "  she 
added  in  the  next  moment.  And  as  the  twelfth  stroke 
of  the  clock  died  away,  she  swayed  helplessly  forward 
and  sank  unconscious  into  Paul's  arms.  He  surrendered 
her  light  form  to  the  care  of  her  attendant  ladies,  who 
immediately  bore  her  away  from  the  choir  to  the  sacristy 
which  had  served  as  her  robing-room. 

"  Duke  of  Bora,"  cried  Zabern,  with  an  exultant  smile, 
"  your  last  hour  has  come !  " 


394 


CHAPTER   XIX 

THE    CORONATION    DUEL 

THOSE  who  had  come  to  the  cathedral  in  the  ex 
pectation  of  witnessing  an  interesting  ceremony 
were  beginning  to  find  that  the  reality  far  surpassed 
the  anticipation. 

A  series  of  dramatic  episodes  had  occurred  in  quick 
succession,  but  the  climax  of  all  was  now  reached  when  it 
became  known  that  the  throne  of  Czernova  was  to  be  put 
to  the  hazard  of  a  duel,  and  a  duel  that  was  to  ensue 
immediately  within  the  walls  of  the  cathedral  itself,  an 
arrangement  due  to  the  initiative  of  Zabern ;  for,  as 
according  to  the  statute  the  combat  must  take  place  that 
same  day,  he  had  proposed  that  it  should  be  fought  at 
once  upon  the  open  pavement  fronting  the  choir. 

"  A  duel  within  a  cathedral !  "  exclaimed  Radzivil  in 
amazement. 

"Why  not?"  asked  Zabern  coolly. 

'  This  is  a  consecrated  place.  The  wilful  shedding  of 
blood  here  is  forbidden  by  the  Church." 

"  Well,  let 's  take  the  opinion  of  the  Church  as  ex 
pressed  in  the  person  of  Faustus." 

Now,  sad  to  relate,  that  mitred  abbot  dearly  loved  to 
witness  a  good  fight,  for  he  had  been  a  soldier  ere  adopt 
ing  the  monastic  profession,  and  the  old  Adam  was  still 
strong  within  him. 

"  This  cathedral  is  holy  ground,"  he  began. 

"  Presumably  so,"  replied  Zabern. 

"  And  to  maintain  the  princess's  throne  and  the  Latin 
faith  is  a  holy  deed." 

395 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

"  Without  doubt." 

'  Then  let  the  holy  deed  take  place  on  holy  ground." 

"  My  view  of  the  matter." 

"  But  if  the  shedding  of  blood  should  profane  a 
church  — 

"  As  the  timid  allege." 

"  Then  is  the  place  already  profaned  by  the  blood  of 
Orloff." 

"  True." 

"  Therefore  this  being  now  common  ground  the  duel 
can  take  place  without  occasion  of  profanation." 

"  Faustus,  thou  reasonest  well.  Gentlemen,  we  have 
heard  the  voice  of  the  Church.  Fiat  voluntas  ecclesice. 
Let  the  combat  take  place  here,  and  now." 

"  Good !  "  commented  Paul,  who  had  listened  in  silence 
to  this  dialogue.  "  It  cannot  come  too  soon." 

A  remark  echoed  by  the  ferocious  Bora,  confident  in 
his  ability  to  overcome  the  other. 

Paul  now  found  his  hands  grasped  by  those  of  ad 
miring  ministers,  all  of  whom  were  anxious  that  he  should 
forget  how  near  they  had  come  to  banishing  him  by 
public  edict. 

In  the  midst  of  their  congratulations  Paul  was  ap 
proached  by  a  lady-in-waiting,  who  brought  word  that 
the  princess  desired  to  speak  with  him  ere  the  duel  should 
begin. 

"  Go  to  your  dalliance,"  sneered  Bora,  who  had  over 
heard  the  message.  "  It  will  be  your  last." 

"  If  your  grace  will  take  counsel  of  an  enemy,"  replied 
Paul,  "  you  will  seek  the  ministration  of  a  priest,  for  you 
never  needed  it  more." 

There  was  something  in  Paul's  quiet  and  confident 
manner,  something  far  removed  from  boasting,  that  sent 
a  momentary  uneasiness  to  the  hearts  of  both  Bora  and  of 
his  imperial  patron,  the  Czar. 

Paul  followed  his  conductress  to  the  sacristy,  where  he 
396 


The  Coronation  Duel 

found  Barbara  attended  by  her  ladies,  who  had  divested 
her  of  her  heavy  coronation  robes.  The  pure  white  of  her 
silk  dress  was  not  whiter  than  her  face  at  that  moment. 

At  a  sign  from  the  princess  the  attendants  withdrew, 
leaving  her  alone  with  Paul. 

"  What  a  pity,"  murmured  one,  "  if  so  handsome  a  hero 
should  die !  " 

Barbara  rose  to  her  feet,  but  so  great  was  her  emotion 
that  she  would  have  fallen,  had  not  Paul  caught  her  in  his 
arms,  where  she  reclined,  clinging  convulsively  to  him. 

"  Oh !  Paul,  Paul,"  she  murmured,  and  for  a  long  time 
she  could  do  no  more  than  repeat  his  name. 

The  sweetness  and  the  pain  at  her  heart !  Was  this  a 
meeting  or  a  parting?  Her  throne,  her  power,  her  wealth, 
her  triumphs  in  the  diplomacy  and  the  Diet  were  all  as 
nothing  in  comparison  with  her  love  of  Paul.  He  was  her 
dearest  possession,  and  yet  —  and  yet  —  this  clasp  of  his 
arms  might  be  the  last !  Within  an  hour  his  corpse  might 
be  carried  out  of  the  cathedral,  and  the  voice  of  the  Czar 
would  proclaim  her  downfall,  and  the  accession  of  Bora. 
And  what  would  life  be  without  Paul  ? 

"  Do  not  weep,  Barbara,"  he  cried,  tenderly  stroking 
her  dark  hair.  "  This  day  shall  prove  the  brightest  of 
your  life." 

But  Barbara  failed  to  see  how  this  could  be.  To  her  it 
would  ever  remain  as  the  most  wretched,  for  even  if  she 
should  triumph  over  Czar  and  duke,  that  would  not  re 
move  the  reproach  of  illegitimacy  publicly  cast  in  her 
teeth.  She  shivered  at  the  recollection.  Of  all  the  inci 
dents  which  had  happened  that  day,  this  —  the  imputed 
stain  on  her  birth  —  had  most  wounded  her  pride.  Would 
she  ever  be  able  to  disprove  the  charge?  But  it  was  not 
the  time  to  be  thinking  of  this  now. 

"  Oh !  Paul,"  she  murmured,  "  it  is  selfish,  it  is  wrong 
of  me  to  hazard  your  life  in  this  barbarous  fashion." 

"  It  is  too  late  to  plead  now,"  he  answered  gravely.  "  I 
397 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

have  publicly  accepted  the  honor  —  for  an  honor  it  is  — 
of  acting  as  the  princess's  champion,  and  not  even  Bar 
bara  herself  shall  dissuade  me  to  withdraw." 

"  But  are  you  certain,  quite  certain,  that  you  will  be 
victorious  ?  " 

"  Try  me,"  said  Paul  grimly. 

"  How  can  I  let  you  do  this  ?  "  she  cried  in  an  outburst 
of  anguish.  "  I  will  resign  my  crown.  We  will  go  away 
together  to  some  other  land  where  happiness  may  be 
found.  Say  '  yes  '  to  this.  Oh,  Paul,  don't  —  don't  fight. 
If  you  should  fall  - 

"  No  fear  of  that,  since  your  throne  depends  upon  the 
issue." 

"  My  throne !  "  repeated  Barbara  bitterly.  "  What 
pleasure  can  it  give  me  now?  The  Czar  has  learned  that 
our  Charter  is  no  more.  He  claims  Czernova  as  part  of 
his  empire.  If  I  should  continue  to  rule  I  must  rule 
merely  as  his  vassal.  Consider  the  humiliations  to  which 
I  shall  be  subjected.  Is  it  worth  while  risking  your  life 
in  order  to  preserve  for  me  a  gilded  mockery  of  power?  " 

How  could  Paul  smile  at  the  prospect  presented  by  her 
words?  Yet  he  did,  pleasantly  and  tenderly. 

"  Sweet  princess !  "  he  said,  "  for  princess  you  are,  and 
princess  you  shall  remain,  take  courage."  He  turned 
her  beautiful  face  upward  to  his  own,  and  gazed  into  the 
depth  of  her  dark  eyes,  on  whose  silken  lashes  the  tear 
drops  glittered.  "  During  my  absence  I  have  worked 
for  the  good  of  Czernova.  I  have  splendid  tidings  for 
you.  Fear  no  more  the  machinations  of  Russia.  From 
this  day  forth  you  are  firmly  seated  upon  the  throne." 

The  sudden  and  unaccountable  joy  that  filled  Barbara's 
heart  at  that  moment  almost  effaced  the  thought  of  the 
coming  duel. 

"  Oh,  Paul,  what  —  what  do  you  mean  ?  " 

"  That  I  have  accomplished  my  mission.  But  ere  ex 
plaining  let  me  first  dispose  of  the  duke ;  otherwise  when 

398 


The  Coronation  Duel 

the  great  news  which  is  now  on  its  way  reaches  Slavowitz, 
he  may  seek  to  escape  in  the  train  of  the  Czar,  which  must 
not  be,  for  Trevisa's  death  calls  for  atonement." 

Though  full  of  wonder,  Barbara  succeeded  in  repress 
ing  her  curiosity,  and  said,  — 

"  Paul,  you  do  not  wish  me  to  be  a  witness  of  this  duel  ? 
I  mean,"  she  added  timidly,  "  if  you  think  that  —  that  — 

"  That  I  shall  fight  with  better  success  if  you  are  look 
ing  on  ?  No,  Barbara,  it  is  no  sight  for  your  gentle  eyes. 
Remain  here  till  it  is  over.  And  do  not  fear  for  me,"  he 
continued,  kissing  her  tearful  face,  "  I  am  more  than  a 
match  for  the  duke.  From  boyhood  upward  to  excel  in 
sword-play  has  been  my  ambition.  Rarely  have  I  let  a 
day  pass  without  exercise.  I  can  see  now  that  Providence 
has  been  training  my  arm  for  this  very  event." 

His  words  inspired  Barbara  with  a  momentary  confi 
dence. 

"  You  will  succeed,  Paul.  Heaven  will  help  you,  for 
you  fight  in  a  righteous  cause.  Oh,  are  you  going?  So 
soon?  Why,  we  have  but  just  met.  Not  yet  —  not  yet. 
A  minute  longer  —  one  more  kiss  —  lest  —  lest  —  it 
should  be  —  the  last  —  O  Paul  —  don't  go  —  no  — 
no  —  " 

He  kissed  her  tenderly,  gently  removed  her  clinging 
arms,  and  quitted  the  sacristy. 

The  Duke  of  Bora,  who  was  sitting  beside  his  great 
kinsman,  the  Czar,  scowled  as  Paul  made  his  appearance 
in  the  choir.  The  dullest  imagination  could  picture  the 
tender  interview  that  had  taken  place  in  the  sacristy.  All 
knew  that  Paul  had  come  to  the  combat  with  Barbara's 
kiss  dewy  on  his  lips. 

"  But  for  yon  fellow,"  muttered  Bora,  "  I  might  now  be 
the  consort  of  the  princess." 

'  The  fair  lady  loves  power,"  replied  the  emperor. 
"  She  may  yet  consent  when  she  sees  the  crown  on  your 
brow.  See,  the  herald  summons  you.  Now,  Bora,  play 

399 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

the  man,  and  you  are  prince  by  the  law  of  Czernova  itself. 
All  Europe  will  be  unable  to  dispute  the  legality  of  your 
title." 

The  two  duellists  did  not  immediately  take  to  the  sword 
and  engage.  The  coronation-rubric  prescribed  certain 
formalities  —  relics  of  a  mediaeval  usage  —  in  connection 
with  the  championing  of  the  sovereign ;  and  these  a 
herald,  dressed  in  the  quaint  antique  costume  of  his 
office,  proceeded  to  carry  out. 

"  Let  the  champions  come  forward." 

Paul,  with  a  smile  serene  and  high,  stepped  to  the 
appointed  place,  namely,  the  space  fronting  the  choir. 
Sand  had  been  sprinkled  upon  the  pavement  to  absorb 
the  blood  that  might  be  shed,  and  to  prevent  the  com 
batants'  feet  from  slipping. 

Bora  with  a  scowling  brow  faced  his  opponent. 

"  Do  you,  Paul  Cressingham  Woodville,  affirm  that  she 
who  calls  herself  Barbara  Lilieska  is  the  true  and  lawful 
ruler  of  this  principality  of  Czernova  ?  " 

"  I  do." 

"  And  do  you,  John  Lilieski,  affirm  that  you  yourself 
are  the  true  and  lawful  ruler  of  this  principality  of 
Czernova?  " 

"  I  do." 

"  And  to  prove  your  respective  contentions,  are  you 
each  willing  to  submit  to  the  ordeal  of  battle  ?  " 

The  champions  signified  their  assent. 

The  herald  then  proceeded  to  explain  the  conditions 
that  were  to  regulate  the  combat.  Swords  of  a  certain 
length  were  to  be  the  weapons  used.  From  beginning  to 
end  the  duel  was  to  be  continuous  without  any  interval 
for  rest  or  refreshment.  Each  was  to  fight  till  his  oppo 
nent  should  be  destroyed,  for  quarter  was  neither  to  be 
given  nor  accepted,  and  though  the  life-blood  were  being 
drained  from  the  combatants  the  wounds  were  not  to  be 
stanched. 

400 


The  Coronation  Duel 

By  a  solemn  oath  repeated  after  the  herald,  each  cham 
pion  bound  himself  to  observe  these  regulations.  Hence 
it  was  certain  that  one,  possibly  both,  would  not  leave  the 
cathedral  alive,  a  fact  which  imparted  a  terrible  interest 
to  the  coming  combat. 

"  No  quarter !  that 's  a  good  rule,"  remarked  Zabern 
to  Katina,  who  sat  beside  him.  "  The  craven  duke  would 
be  begging  for  his  life,  and  we  want  no  more  Boras  in 
Czernova." 

"  The  champions  will  now  take  their  position  for  the 
combat,"  cried  the  herald. 

The  duellist  when  hard  pressed  is  apt  to  give  way  be 
fore  his  opponent.  In  the  present  case,  however,  advance 
or  retreat,  save  within  very  narrow  limits,  was  rendered 
impossible. 

Fixed  in  the  stone  flooring  was  a  ring  of  brass  designed 
for  raising  a  slab  that  covered  a  stairway  leading  to  a 
crypt  below.  The  right  ankle  of  each  combatant  was  at 
tached  to  this  same  ring  by  a  strong  cord  six  feet  in  length, 
thus  confining  their  movements  within  a  circle  of  four 
yards  in  diameter. 

These  preparations  raised  the  interest  of  the  spectators 
to  a  high  pitch.  A  dreadful  sensation  thrilled  the  ladies 
present  as  they  watched  the  champions  during  the  process 
of  cording;  the  men,  more  cool  and  critical,  strove  to 
predict  the  victor  from  the  physique  presented  by  each  of 
the  opponents. 

Judged  thus,  the  advantage  seemed  to  be  on  the  side  of 
the  duke,  whose  frame  was  powerful  and  massive ;  Paul 
was  not  equal  in  stature  to  his  antagonist,  was  of  more 
slender  build,  and  any  superiority  derivable  from  his 
greater  activity  was  somewhat  nullified  by  the  restraining 
cord. 

The  circumstances  attending  this  combat  contributed  to 
render  it  unique  in  the  annals  of  Czernovese  duelling. 

The  one  champion,  Bora,  stimulated  by  the  presence  of 
26  401 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

his  imperial  patron,  the  mighty  Czar,  fought  to  gain  a 
crown;  the  other,  Paul,  for  the  hand  of  a  fair  princess. 
There  was  a  coloring  of  romance  about  the  affair  strongly 
suggestive  of  the  days  of  chivalry,  and  this  was  enhanced 
by  the  quaint  character  of  the  ritual  employed. 

Each  of  the  Czernovese  factions  was  confident  of  the 
success  of  its  champion.  The  Muscovites  boasted  of  the 
duke's  thirty  duels,  from  all  of  which  he  had  emerged 
victorious  without  taking  a  wound.  The  Poles  had  no 
such  record  to  show  on  behalf  of  their  champion ;  his 
brilliant  feat  in  the  salle  d'armes  was  unknown  to  them, 
but  they  had  marked  Zabern  while  Paul  was  lifting  the 
duke's  glove,  and  they  felt  that  the  marshal  must  have 
had  good  cause  for  the  grim  joy  that  had  appeared  on  his 
face.  Moreover,  Paul's  gallant  defence  of  Tajapore  was 
still  fresh  in  their  minds ;  his  triumph  over  the  Czar's 
policy  in  the  East  was  an  augury  of  a  similar  triumph  in 
the  West,  and  contributed  to  give  a  piquant  zest  to  the 
coming  duel.  At  any  rate,  his  cold,  flashing  eye,  com 
pressed  lips  and  resolute  mien  showed  that  he  was  a  dan 
gerous  opponent. 

As  soon  as  Paul  had  removed  his  coat  and  vest  the 
herald  placed  his  hand  beneath  his  shirt. 

''  To  ascertain  whether  you  wear  an  under-tunic  of 
mail,"  he  explained  in  answer  to  Paul's  look  of  surprise. 

"  Do  you  deem  me  a  person  of  so  little  honor?  " 

"  This  scrutiny  is  so  enjoined  by  the  rubric,"  remarked 
the  herald,  as  he  subjected  Bora  to  the  same  inspection. 

The  weapons  next  occupied  the  herald's  attention. 

The  duke  had  come  prepared  for  the  contest,  and  hence 
his  blade  was  of  the  length  prescribed  by  the  statute ; 
Paul's  sword  fell  short  of  this  by  two  inches,  and  though 
he  much  preferred  to  fight  with  his  own  weapon,  the 
herald  would  not  permit  him  to  do  so. 

"  My  blade  is  of  the  requisite  length,"  said  Zabern, 
"  and  I  can  warrant  it  tried  steel.  Take  it ;  you  will 

402 


The  Coronation  Duel 

make  it  historic.  It  has  already  shed  the  blood  of  a  car 
dinal  ;  why  not  that  of  a  duke  ?  There  will  be  a  sort  of 
poetic  justice  in  despatching  the  princess's  two  enemies 
with  the  same  weapon." 

"  You  seem  very  confident,  marshal,"  sneered  Bora. 

"  Very  confident,  your  grace.  You  see  there  's  no  prin 
cess  to  intervene  this  time." 

The  herald  having  tested  the  length  and  flexibility  of 
Zabern's  sword  returned  it  to  the  marshal,  saying,  as  he 
did  so, — 

"  Pierce  your  skin  with  the  point." 

Zabern  instantly  pricked  the  palm  of  his  hand  till  the 
blood  flowed,  while  the  duke  did  the  like  with  his  own 
weapon. 

The  puzzled  Paul  looked  inquiringly  at  Zabern,  who 
explained  that  it  was  an  old  usage  in  Czernova,  adopted 
as  a  precaution  against  poisoned  blades. 

The  two  combatants  were  now  bidden  to  stand  as  far 
apart  as  the  cords  would  permit,  and  each  after  kissing 
his  blade  held  it  vertically  aloft,  repeating  after  the  herald 
the  following  oath,  — 

"  Hear,  O  ye  people,  that  I  have  this  day  neither  eaten 
nor  drunk  aught,  nor  have  I  upon  my  person  either  charm 
or  amulet,  nor  have  I  practised  any  enchantment  or  sor 
cery,  whereby  the  law  of  Heaven  may  be  abased,  or  the 
law  of  Satan  be  exalted.  So  help  me  God  and  His 
saints !  " 

Very  absurd  and  mediaeval,  no  doubt,  but  being  a  part 
of  the  ancient  ritual  its  enunciation  was  required  from 
each  champion. 

The  news  of  the  coming  duel  had  been  announced  to 
the  populace  without,  and  their  cries  of  excitement  con 
trasted  strangely  with  the  deadly  stillness  that  reigned 
within  the  interior  of  the  fane. 

Upon  that  part  of  the  cathedral  roof  that  overlooked 
the  square,  a  group  of  soldiers  could  be  seen  standing 

403 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

about  a  flag-staff,  at  the  foot  of  which  were  two  banners, 
one  white,  the  other  black.  The  eyes  of  all  the  people 
below  were  set  upon  this  flag-staff,  when  it  became  known 
that  the  hoisting  of  the  white  standard  would  signify  the 
triumph  of  the  princess's  champion,  and  the  black  stan 
dard  his  defeat. 

The  time  for  the  great  contest  had  now  come,  and  the 
herald  stepped  backward  a  few  paces. 

"  May  Heaven  defend  the  right !  In  the  name  of  God 
—  fight !  " 

As  the  blades  clashed  together  the  spectators  drew  a 
deep  breath.  The  time  occupied  by  the  preliminaries, 
though  in  reality  very  brief,  had  seemed  so  long  that  the 
beginning  of  the  duel  came  as  an  actual  relief. 

A  shiver  of  expectancy  ran  around  the  cathedral.  Five 
thousand  pairs  of  eyes  were  riveted  upon  the  choir,  and 
upon  naught  else.  The  loveliest  lady  present  might  have 
sighed  in  vain  for  a  single  glance. 

Abbot  Faustus  had  sunk  upon  his  knees  by  the  altar, 
and  was  now  telling  his  beads,  but  though  his  spiritual 
eyes  might  be  directed  towards  heaven,  his  earthly  vision 
was  certainly  fixed  upon  the  two  combatants,  as  Katina 
observed  to  Zabern. 

"  Well,  he  can  cite  Moses  as  a  precedent,"  remarked 
the  marshal,  as  he  sat  down  to  watch  the  fray.  Loving  a 
good  fight,  Zabern  viewed  the  present  spectacle  with  a 
real  sense  of  enjoyment,  untroubled  by  any  doubt  as  to 
the  result. 

The  Czar,  with  his  strong  liking  for  everything  mili 
tary,  was  likewise  in  his  element.  He  sat,  bent  forward, 
resting  the  point  of  his  sabre  upon  the  pavement,  and  his 
hands  upon  the  hilt,  prepared  to  view  the  display  of 
swordsmanship  with  the  critical  eye  of  a  inaitre  d'armes, 
as  confident  in  the  triumph  of  Bora  as  Zabern  was  in  that 
of  Paul. 

The  Duke  of  Bora,  burning  to  distinguish  himself  in 
404 


The  Coronation  Duel 

the  presence  of  the  Czar,  and  apparently  desirous  of  ter 
minating  the  combat  in  the  shortest  space  of  time  possible, 
made  so  furious  an  attack  upon  Paul  that  the  latter  could 
do  no  more  than  remain  on  the  defensive.  So  weighty 
was  the  descent  of  Bora's  blade  that  Paul's  arm  tingled  at 
each  shock ;  so  swift  his  tierce  that  his  sabre-point  was 
often  swept  aside  when  within  an  inch  only  of  Paul's 
breast.  In  truth  the  eye  could  scarcely  follow  the  move 
ment  of  the  blades,  which  in  their  rapidity  resembled 
flashes  of  light,  rather  than  pieces  of  steel  wielded  by 
human  hands. 

The  duke  pressed  his  adversary  yet  harder,  compelling 
him  to  recede  inch  by  inch  to  the  end  of  his  tether,  a 
retrogression  which,  added  to  the  fact  that  Paul  did  not 
return  the  cut  and  thrust  of  his  opponent,  occasioned 
grave  misgiving  in  the  minds  of  the  Polish  spectators. 

"  Our  champion  has  degenerated  since  the  day  he  sur 
prised  us  in  the  sallc  d'armcs,"  murmured  the  premier  in 
alarm. 

"  Bah !  my  good  Radzivil,"  returned  Zabern  confi 
dently,  "  cannot  you  see  that  he  is  letting  the  duke  exhaust 
himself?  Bora  is  rash  in  thus  pouring  out  his  strength 
like  water.  This  is  too  violent  to  last  long.  Ah !  said 
I  not  so?  First  blood  to  us !  " 

The  duke  had  failed  to  preserve  his  guard,  and  as  a 
result  Paul's  weapon  had  penetrated  his  side  to  the  depth 
of  a  quarter  of  an  inch,  a  feat  performed  with  such  quick 
ness  that  though  all  were  watching,  few  perceived  it. 

"  The  duke  is  wounded." 

"  He  is  not." 

Doubt  vanished  with  the  appearance  on  Bora's  white 
shirt  of  a  small  red  disk  that  began  slowly  to  expand. 

Zabern  smiled  grimly  at  the  bewilderment  of  the  duke, 
whose  air  resembled  that  of  a  bull  in  the  Spanish  arena 
when  first  pierced  by  the  dart  of  the  banderillero  —  the 
air  of  amazement  as  to  how  the  thing  could  have  hap- 

405 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

pened,  mingled  with  incredulity  that  any  one  should  have 
ventured  to  play  such  a  trick  upon  him. 

This  was  the  first  wound  ever  received  by  him  in  his 
character  as  duellist,  and  the  blow  thus  given  to  his  pres 
tige  stung  the  duke  far  more  than  the  mere  physical  pain 
caused  by  the  stab.  Its  occurrence,  however,  at  this 
stage  was  timely,  for  it  served  to  check  his  fiery  conceit 
and;  to  teach  him  caution ;  it  behoved  him  to  guard  as 
well  as  to  assail. 

Paul's  vigilance  in  detecting  an  error  on  his  adversary's 
part  raised  the  spirit  of  the  Poles  to  a  high  degree,  while 
the  feeling  of  the  Muscovites  underwent  a  corresponding 
depression. 

"  Good  for  the  Englishman,"  cried  a  Pole. 

"  He  is  the  duke's  match,"  exclaimed  a  second. 

The  combat  being  now  waged  with  more  caution  on  the 
part  of  the  duke,  there  ensued  a  really  brilliant  display  of 
swordsmanship,  which,  interesting  to  the  civilians,  was 
far  more  so  to  the  military  officers  present,  from  whom 
came  subdued  murmurs  of  admiration. 

"  Humph !  "  said  Zabern,  conscious  that  the  duke  was 
now  in  his  best  form.  "  The  great  Napoleon,  with  whom 
I  once  dined,  made  remark  to  me,  '  Scratch  a  Russ,  and 
you  will  find  a  Tartar.'  In  the  present  instance,  however, 
the  scratch  seems  to  have  made  our  Russ  more  cool." 

The  Czar,  who  had  overheard  these  words,  so  far  per 
mitted  his  curiosity  to  overcome  his  dislike  of  Zabern  as 
to  ask  coldly,  — 

"  Where  did  you  dine  with  Napoleon  ?  " 

"Beneath  the  roof  of  the  Kremlin,  sire/'  replied  Zabern, 
with  an  ironical  salute. 

The  emperor  repressed  his  wrath,  and  turned  again  to 
view  the  strife. 

Every  movement  of  the  blades  was  watched  in  fear  and 
trembling  by  the  Polish  spectators,  who  felt  that  it  was  a 
fight  betwixt  liberty  and  despotism;  a  mortal  thrust  on 

406 


The  Coronation  Duel 

the  part  of  the  duke  would  leave  them  but  a  shadow  of 
that  freedom  which  they  had  enjoyed  under  the  regime 
of  the  princess. 

Many  of  the  ladies  present,  unable  to  endure  the  sight, 
averted  their  eyes,  and  then,  impelled  by  a  dreadful  curi 
osity,  turned  to  gaze  again.  Some  looked  on  with  hand 
kerchiefs  pressed  to  their  mouths  to  check  the  screams 
which  might  have  disconcerted  the  combatants.  Intense 
emotion  caused  a  few  to  swoon  away. 

The  tide  seemed  to  be  turning  in  favor  of  Paul.  He 
began  to  press  the  duke,  whose  strength  was  beginning  to 
fail.  Mighty  in  a  first  onset,  he  lacked  the  steady  en 
durance  of  his  adversary.  Suddenly,  while  bending  side 
ways  to  avoid  a  thrust  which  he  had  failed  to  parry,  Bora 
lost  his  balance  and  fell.  In  falling,  his  sword  flew  from 
his  hand. 

And  there  he  was,  resting  upon  one  knee,  defenceless, 
at  the  mercy  of  his  opponent. 

The  spirit  of  chivalry  restrained  Paul  from  giving  the 
fatal  stroke. 

"  I  cannot  slay  an  unarmed  man,"  he  said. 

"  What  folly  is  this  ? "  cried  Zabern,  starting  up  in 
wrath.  "  Did  he  spare  Trevisa  ?  Would  he  spare  you 
if  you  were  now  in  his  place?  This  is  no  time  for  gener 
osity  or  mercy.  The  princess's  throne  is  at  stake.  Strike 
and  spare  not." 

Bora  neither  moved  nor  spoke,  awaiting  his  end  in 
trembling  terror.  Paul's  refusal  to  strike  evoked  the 
long-suppressed  feelings  of  the  Poles. 

"Kill!   kill!" 

The  lofty  arches  rang  with  excited  cries.  Even  tender 
ladies,  carried  away  by  the  heat  of  the  moment,  added 
their  voices  to  those  of  the  men.  Paul,  looking  around 
upon  the  assembly,  saw  nothing  but  a  forest  of  waving 
hands,  and  a  multitude  of  fierce-gleaming  eyes  urging 
him  to  the  bloody  work. 

407 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

"  No  quarter  can  be  granted/'  said  the  herald.  "  You 
have  each  sworn  an  oath  to  slay,  or  be  slain." 

But  inasmuch  as  Paul  was  not  to  be  moved  from  his 
purpose,  there  was  no  other  course  left  than  to  permit  the 
duke  to  resume  the  combat. 

"  You  have  given  him  time  to  recover  himself,"  grum 
bled  Zabern,  as  he  sat  down  again.  "  It  is  a  violation  of 
the  rules." 

During  his  discomfiture,  Bora  had  glanced  more  than 
once  at  the  Czar,  as  if  supplicating  his  intervention.  But 
the  emperor  sat  impassive  as  a  statue,  ignoring  the  silent 
appeal.  Relying  on  the  duke's  boastful  assurances  of 
victory,  Nicholas  had  assented  to  the  policy  of  the  duel 
as  a  convenient  and  constitutional  way  of  deposing  the 
princess.  It  now  seemed  that  this  plan  would  fail.  Then 
let  the  duke  pay  the  penalty  merited  by  his  presumption. 
Woe  to  the  man  who  deceives  the  Czar !  Bora's  heart 
sank  within  him  at  sight  of  the  emperor's  cold  face. 

The  contest  now  entered  upon  its  last,  its  fatal  phase. 

Equality  had  disappeared  between  the  two  champions ; 
the  duel  was  virtually  over ;  the  result  known  to  all  pres 
ent;  it  was  merely  a  question  of  time. 

And  the  person  most  conscious  of  this  was  the  duke 
himself.  His  confident  swagger  had  vanished.  He  was 
fighting  now,  not  for  glory  or  a  throne,  but  for  dear  life 
itself. 

He  made  no  attempt  to  assail  Paul.  Why  should  he? 
He  could  do  no  more  than  he  had  done.  He  had  tried 
again  and  again  to  reach  his  adversary,  and  with  graceful 
ease  Paul  had  parried  each  cut  and  tierce.  He  could 
escape  death  only  by  some  negligence  on  the  part  of  his 
opponent,  but  that  opponent  was  too  keen  to  be  caught 
erring. 

Little  by  little  Bora  was  forced  backwards,  till  at  last 
further  retreat  was  rendered  impossible  by  the  cord  at 
tached  to  his  ankle;  yet  farther  back  he  must  go  if  he 

408 


The  Coronation  Duel 

must  avoid  that  sabre-point,  which,  swift  and  deadly  as 
the  tongue  of  a  serpent,  glittered  continually  within  an 
inch  of  his  face  and  breast. 

His  strength  was  ebbing  fast ;  his  arm  had  grown  com 
pletely  wearied  by  the  constant  parrying;  he  longed  to 
throw  away  his  weapon  and  cry  for  mercy ;  but  for  the 
restraining  cord  he  would  have  cast  himself  at  the  feet  of 
the  Czar  to  implore  his  intervention.  The  despair  pic 
tured  on  his  face  produced  a  painful  feeling  among  the 
more  sensitive  portion  of  the  spectators. 

With  vision  continually  blurred  by  the  great  drops  of 
sweat  that  hung  from  his  eyebrows,  the  duke  struggled 
on,  till  at  last  came  the  end. 

Tempted  from  his  defensive  Bora  made  a  sudden 
thrust,  and  his  sabre-point  entered  a  tiny  orifice  in  the  or 
namental  work  that  formed  the  cross-guard  of  Paul's 
sword.  Lunging  with  wild  vehemence,  Bora  was  unable 
to  check  his  impetus,  and  the  result  was  that  the  blade  of 
his  weapon  instantaneously  curved  upwards  with  such 
force  as  to  snap  in  two,  while  at  the  same  moment  Paul's 
sabre,  darting  forward  horizontally,  entered  the  duke's 
breast,  and  passed  out  under  his  left  shoulder. 

Bora's  arms  flew  aloft  with  a  convulsive  jerk ;  the 
fragment  of  his  blade  dropped  with  a  ringing  sound  upon 
the  pavement ;  he  gave  a  strange  gasping  sigh,  and  then 
his  body  slid  from  Paul's  blade  and  lay  on  the  floor  in  a 
huddled  heap. 

"  Now,  I  call  that  a  very  pretty  fight,"  remarked 
Zabern. 

A  long  shout  of  triumph  arose  from  the  Poles,  fol 
lowed  a  few  seconds  later  by  a  tremendous  roaring  from 
the  populace  outside,  as  the  white  standard  flew  up  the 
flagstaff,  announcing  the  victory  of  the  princess's 
champion. 


409 


CHAPTER   XX 

ALL  'S    WELL   THAT    ENDS    WELL 

AS  the  Czar  beheld  his  champion  lying  dead,  a  wave 
of  anger  swept  over  him,  suppressed  immediately 
by  his  stern  fortitude. 

"  The  word  of  the  Czar  is  sacred,"  he  cried,  rising  from 
his  seat  and  addressing  the  assembly.  "  Barbara  Lilieska 
is  Princess  of  Czernova.  Let  the  coronation  proceed." 

Paul,  released  from  the  cord  that  had  confined  him  to 
the  place  of  combat,  here  turned  and  confronted  the 
emperor. 

"  Your  Majesty,"  he  remarked,  with  a  somewhat  cold 
expression,  "  ere  claiming  to  exercise  suzerainty  in  Czer 
nova,  will  do  well  to  await  the  arrival  of  your  Foreign 
Minister  now  on  his  way  hither." 

The  Czar  stared  haughtily  at  Paul,  having  no  idea 
whatever  of  his  meaning,  while  Zabern,  equally  mysti 
fied,  murmured,  — 

"  In  the  name  of  the  saints,  explain  your  saying." 

Paul  whispered  a  few  words  into  the  ear  of  the  mar 
shal,  who  received  the  communication  with  an  expres 
sion  of  incredulity. 

"  It  is  true,"  asseverated  Paul.  "  And,"  he  added, 
"  here  comes  the  confirmer  of  my  words." 

A  slight  commotion  here  took  place  at  the  far  end  of 
the  cathedral,  and  there  entered  a  man  of  distinguished 
presence  whom  Zabern  immediately  recognized  as  the 
Russian  Minister  for  Foreign  Affairs.  Then  the  mar 
shal  no  longer  doubted.  His  face  became  lighted  with 

410 


All 's  Well  that  Ends  Well 

an  expression  of  joy,  succeeded  the  next  moment  by 
one  of  trouble. 

"  The  Convent  of  the  Transfiguration !  "  he  murmured. 
;'  There  is  our  danger.  We  are  lost  if  our  secret  docu 
ments  fall  into  the  Czar's  hands.  And  how  is  it  to  be 
prevented  with  a  Russian  regiment  in  possession  of  the 
monastery  ?  " 

The  newcomer  on  entering  had  thrown  a  quick  glance 
around,  and  catching  sight  of  the  emperor  standing  upon 
the  edge  of  the  choir,  he  at  once  made  his  way  to  the 
imperial  presence. 

"Count  Nesselrode!  you  here!  How  is  this?"  asked 
the  Czar,  perceiving  plainly  that  trouble  was  in  the  air. 

"  A  despatch  from  the  Court  of  St.  James's,  requiring 
your  Majesty's  immediate  attention,"  replied  Nesselrode, 
sinking  upon  one  knee  as  he  presented  the  document. 
"  On  receiving  it  from  the  British  ambassador,  I  instantly 
set  off  for  Zamoska,  travelling  day  and  night ;  and,  learn 
ing  on  my  arrival  there  that  you  would  be  found  in  the 
cathedral  of  Slavowitz,  I  have  hastened  hither.  A  grave 
despatch,  your  Majesty,"  he  added  in  a  lower  tone,  "  a 
despatch  affecting  this  very  principality.  Hence  my  haste 
to  deliver  it  to  you." 

The  emperor  sat  down  again,  broke  the  seal  of  the 
envelope,  unfolded  the  despatch,  and  proceeded  to  read 
it  with  a  darkening  countenance. 

The  only  person  in  the  cathedral  whose  eyes  were  not 
set  upon  the  Czar  at  this  particular  juncture  was  Zabern, 
who  was  himself  occupied  in  the  reading  of  two  very  in 
teresting  documents  which  had  just  been  put  into  his 
hands. 

During  the  course  of  the  duel  there  had  entered  the 
cathedral  the  chief  of  the  Police  Bureau,  who  had  person 
ally  taken  upon  himself  to  investigate  matters  relative  to 
the  murder  of  Cardinal  Ravenna.  His  search  in  the 
archiepiscopal  palace  had  resulted  in  the  finding  of  cer- 

411 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

tain  papers,  so  extraordinary  in  their  character  that  the 
police-official  felt  constrained  to  hasten  at  once  to  Zabern 
with  the  news  of  his  discovery.  The  sight  of  the  duel 
had  kept  him  dumb  and  motionless,  but  as  soon  as  it 
was  over  he  had  hurried  to  the  side  of  Zabern. 

"  Marshal,"  he  whispered,  "  what  name  did  the  Czar 
give  to  our  princess  ?  " 

"  Barbara  Lilieska.    That  is  her  true  name,  Casimir." 

'*  Then  these  papers  do  not  depose  her?  "  said  the  chief 
of  the  police,  exhibiting  what  he  had  found. 

"Depose  her?"  repeated  Zabern,  as  he  ran  his  de 
lighted  eye  over  the  document.  "  By  the  soul  of  Sobieski, 
you  could  not  have  brought  a  more  acceptable  gift  to 
her  Highness.  This  will  —  " 

"  Marshal,  is  it  true  that  the  princess  has  not  yet  been 
informed  of  the  result  of  the  duel?" 

It  was  Paul  who  spoke,  and  he  spoke  with  some 
warmth. 

"  Such  have  been  my  orders." 

"  Why  do  you  prolong  her  suspense  ?  " 

"  Who  more  fitting  than  the  victor  himself  to  convey 
the  glad  tidings?  Go.  Carry  these  papers  with  you. 
Tell  the  princess  that  they  were  found  in  the  cardinal's 
palace !  " 

Taking  the  documents  from  the  hand  of  Zabern,  Paul 
proceeded  to  the  sacristy,  where  he  had  left  Barbara. 

She  was  alone  on  her  knees  in  prayer.  She  had 
heard  the  rapturous  applause  ringing  through  the  cathe 
dral  aisles ;  she  had  heard  the  still  louder  shout  from 
the  square,  and  had  trembled,  knowing  that  all  was 
over. 

But  when  moment  after  moment  went  by  and  no  one 
came  with  tidings,  a  black  pall  of  horror  fell  over  her.  It 
must  be  that  the  duke's  sword  had  prevailed,  and  that  her 
friends  from  pity  hesitated  to  come  forward  with  the 
truth. 

412 


All 's  Well  that  Ends  Well 

The  door  opened,  yet  she  durst  not  turn  her  head. 

Through  the  corridor  came  the  solemn  roll  of  the 
organ,  and  with  it  the  voices  of  the  white-robed  choir: 
"  Deposuit  potentes  et  exaltavit  humiles." 

Why  had  Faustus  ordered  the  "  Magnificat "  to  be 
sung?  Could  it  be  that —  ? 

"  Barbara !  " 

A  delicious  feeling  of  relief  thrilled  her  whole  frame 
as  that  word  fell  on  her  ear. 

She  looked  up  from  her  knees.  Yes,  it  was  the  living 
Paul,  and  not  his  spirit;  Paul  smiling  tenderly,  and  ap 
parently  unhurt.  She  tried  to  speak,  but  emotion  checked 
her  utterance.  Paul  raised  her  drooping  figure  from  the 
ground  and  girdled  her  in  a  grasp  of  iron. 

"  My  sweet  floweret.  You  must  not  faint.  All  is  well. 
Your  throne  is  safe." 

"  Your  life  is  safe,"  she  faintly  articulated,  "  and  that 
is  all  I  care  for." 

Then  followed  a  long  interval  of  silence.  Their  joy 
was  too  deep  for  words.  At  last  Barbara  spoke. 

"  And  is  Bora  really  dead  ?  " 

"  May  all  enemies  of  the  princess  be  as  the  duke  is." 

"  And  you  ?  Are  you  not  wounded  —  hurt  ?  "  she 
asked,  holding  him  at  arm's  length. 

"  There  is  not  a  scratch  upon  me." 

"  And  the  Czar  —  ?  " 

"  Is  taking  a  lesson  in  the  school  of  humiliation." 

And  here  Paul  proceeded  to  relate  what  he  had  been 
doing  during  his  absence.  He  had  gone  away  boldly  re 
solved  on  making  an  attempt  to  persuade  the  English 
Foreign  Secretary  to  interest  himself  on  behalf  of  Czer- 
novese  liberty. 

With  this  view,  then,  Paul,  on  the  very  first  night  of 
his  arrival  in  London,  called  at  the  residence  of  Viscount 
Palmerston,  and  sent  in  his  card.  That  statesman  had 
no  sooner  read  the  notable  name  "  Paul  Woodville,"  than 

413 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

he  gave  orders  that  the  visitor  should  be  instantly  ad 
mitted  to  his  presence. 

He  received  Paul  with  great  affability,  expressing  his 
regret  that  a  young  soldier,  certain  of  promotion,  should 
have  so  strangely  quitted  the  service  of  a  great  empire 
for  that  of  one  of  the  smallest  states  in  Europe. 

"  You  have  sadly  disappointed  the  British  public,"  he 
remarked  with  a  smile.  "  We  were  preparing  great 
honors  for  you  in  England." 

"  I  desire  no  other  honor,  my  lord,"  replied  Paul, 
boldly,  "  but  that  England  should  observe  towards  my 
adopted  home  that  faith  to  which  she  stands  pledged  by 
the  Treaty  of  Vienna." 

Now  it  was  a  point  in  Paul's  favor  that  Lord  Palmers- 
ton  had  warningly  declared  from  his  place  in  the  House 
of  Commons  at  the  close  of  the  session  of  '46  that  "  The 
Governments  of  Austria,  Russia,  and  Prussia,  would 
recollect  that  if  the  Treaty  of  Vienna  was  not  good  on 
the  Vistula,  it  might  be  equally  invalid  on  the  Rhine  and 
on  the  Po."  Therefore  he  became  immediately  attentive 
when  Paul  began  to  hint  at  an  intended  violation  of  this 
treaty ;  ever  the  friend  of  nationalities  striving  to  be  free, 
he  listened  with  considerable  warmth  and  indignation  as 
his  visitor  went  on  to  describe  the  insidious  attempts  made 
by  Russia  to  undermine  the  independence  of  Czernova. 

At  this  particular  date  Russia  was  the  bete  noir  of 
Lord  Palmerston,  who  had  long  viewed  with  misgiving 
the  continual  advance  of  that  Power  in  the  direction  of 
India.  He  had  learned  from  the  despatches  forwarded 
both  by  Paul  and  by  other  officers,  that  a  considerable 
body  of  Russians  had  joined  the  Afghans  in  the  attack 
upon  the  British  garrison  at  Tajapore;  but  since  it  could 
not  be  proved  that  these  auxiliaries  had  acted  with  the 
authority,  or  even  with  the  knowledge  of  the  Czar's  min 
istry,  the  English  cabinet  had  been  obliged  to  let  the  mat 
ter  pass. 

414 


All 's  Well  that  Ends  Well 

The  affairs  of  Czernova,  however,  seemed  to  afford  a 
favorable  opportunity,  both  for  administering  a  check  to 
Russia's  growing  spirit  of  aggression,  and  also  of  assert 
ing  British  authority  in  the  councils  of  Europe. 

Accordingly,  when  certain  of  the  Continental  powers 
had  been  sounded  as  to  their  views  upon  the  matter,  the 
English  ministry,  after  due  deliberation,  decided  to  up 
hold  that  clause  of  the  Vienna  Treaty  which  guaranteed 
independence  to  Czernova. 

A  Queen's  messenger  carrying  the  cabinet's  decision 
was  despatched  to  St.  Petersburg.  Paul  himself  had  ac 
companied  this  emissary,  and  after  lingering  a  day  or  two 
by  the  Neva,  had  set  off  for  Czernova,  so  arranging  the 
stages  of  his  journey  that  he  might  reach  Slavowitz  on 
the  eve  of  the  coronation.  An  unforeseen  breakdown  on 
the  way  had  delayed  him  by  twenty-four  hours. 

"  The  English  ambassador  at  St.  Petersburg,"  he 
added,  "  favored  me  in  confidence  with  an  outline  of 
'  Old  Pam's  '  despatch.  Ignoring  the  Charter  altogether, 
it  declares  that  Czernova  shall  continue  to  exercise  that 
independence  which  it  has  exercised  since  1795." 

"  But,"  said  Barbara,  who  had  listened  in  breathless 
wonder,  "  to  what  point  is  England  prepared  to  go  in 
order  to  maintain  the  integrity  of  Czernova  ?  " 

'  To  the  point  of  the  bayonet,  if  necessary.  The  pres 
ent  despatch,  I  am  given  to  understand,  contains  no 
threats,  but  its  language,  though  diplomatically  polite,  is 
quite  unmistakable.  France,  too,  is  with  us  in  this  mat 
ter;  the  Porte  likewise,  and  the  Kingdom  of  Sardinia. 
Therefore,  take  courage,  Barbara.  The  Czar  will  not 
risk  a:  European  war  for  the  sake  of  Czernova." 

For  a  moment  the  princess  gazed  at  Paul,  admira 
tion,  pride,  and  love  shining  from  her  eyes.  Then  with 
a  low,  sweet  cry  of  rapture  she  flung  herself  into  his 
arms. 

"  Paul,  you  have  saved  Czernova,"  she  said. 
415 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

Paul  here  ventured  to  call  Barbara's  attention  to  the 
papers  entrusted  to  him  by  Zabern. 

No  sooner  did  the  princess  realize  the  character  of  the 
documents  than  she  gave  a  second  cry  of  delight.  The 
one  document  was  a  certificate  of  marriage  between  Thad- 
deus  Lilieski,  Prince  of  Czernova,  and  one  Hilda  Tres- 
silian ;  the  other  a  baptismal  certificate  of  an  infant, 
Barbara  Lilieska,  described  as  the  daughter  of  the  afore 
said  Thaddeus  and  Hilda. 

How  these  documents  came  into  the  possession  of  the 
cardinal  could  only  be  surmised.  Probably  he  had  se 
cured  them  prior  to  springing  his  plot  upon  Thaddeus, 
conjecturing  that  the  prince,  on  seeing  the  claims  of  his 
beloved  daughter  Natalie  threatened,  would  do  his  best 
to  destroy  all  proofs  of  Barbara's  relationship  to  himself. 
Afterwards,  when  Thaddeus  became  anxious  to  establish 
the  fact  that  he  had  another  and  a  legitimate  daughter, 
Ravenna  had  maintained  silence  respecting  these  docu 
ments,  thinking  perhaps  that  secrecy  would  be  more  con 
ducive  to  his  own  interests. 

Be  that  as  it  may,  there  the  documents  were,  and  their 
genuineness  wras  not  called  in  question  by  the  legal  ex 
perts,  to  whose  inspection  they  were  afterwards  submitted. 

Paul,  gazing  upon  Barbara,  saw  her  face  "  as  it  had 
been  the  face  of  an  angel."  No  marvel  that  she  was 
filled  with  an  exquisite  sense  of  joy !  She  was  now  free 
from  the  imputation  of  illegitimacy.  She  could  assume 
her  rightful  name  instead  of  masquerading  under  a  false 
guise.  The  sword  of  Paul  had  kept  her  throne  from  be 
coming  the  prize  of  the  duke;  and,  thanks  to  the  aegis 
of  Britain,  Czernova  was  safe  from  the  aggression  of 
Russia. 

Best  and  sweetest  thought  of  all,  there  was  now  no 
obstacle  to  her  union  with  Paul,  for  who  among  her  min 
isters  would  oppose  her  marriage  with  the  gallant  Eng 
lishman  who  had  saved  the  principality? 

416 


All 's  Well  that  Ends  Well 

The  sound  of  approaching  footsteps  caused  the  princess 
to  withdraw  from  the  arms  of  Paul;  and  immediately 
afterwards  Zabern  entered  the  sacristy,  followed  by  Ka- 
tina  and  by  most  of  the  ministry. 

"  Princess,"  said  Zabern  solemnly,  and  Barbara  ob 
served  that  there  were  tears  in  his  eyes ;  "  princess,  amid 
your  joy  give  a  thought  to  the  brave  men  who  have  died 
to  save  our  secret." 

"  What  mean  you,  marshal  ?  " 

"  Early  this  morning  the  Convent  of  the  Transfigura 
tion  was  seized  and  occupied  by  a  regiment  of  the  Paul- 
ovski  Guards." 

"  By  that  act,  then,  the  Czar  has  violated  the  Treaty  of 
Vienna." 

'  True ;  but  considering  what  that  convent  contained," 
said  Zabern  with  a  melancholy  smile,  "  we  shall  act 
wisely  in  ignoring  this  raid  upon  our  territory,  especially 
as  the  Czar  has  paid  the  penalty  of  his  act  by  losing  a 
splendid  regiment.  Dorislas,  who  invested  the  convent, 
has  just  sent  this  message." 

Zabern  handed  the  princess  a  note  inscribed  with  the 
following  words,  — 

"  At  noon  convent  blew  up  with  tremendous  explo 
sion.  Building  and  inmates  reduced  to  atoms.  Some  of 
our  men  injured  by  falling  debris,  but  none  killed.  — 
DORISLAS." 

Barbara's  face  saddened. 

"  So  the  monks  kept  their  vow,"  she  murmured,  "  and 
fired  the  powder-magazine,  sacrificing  their  own  lives  to 
save  us  from  discovery." 

"  Fortunately  your  Highness  has  saved  Faustus  by  in 
viting  him  here  to  crown  you,  and  yet  the  old  abbot  is 
grieving  because  he  has  not  died  with  the  rest  of  his 
brethren." 

:'  Though  it  be  harsh  to  say  it,"  remarked  Paul,  "  the 
destruction  of  that  monastery  is,  under  the  present  cir- 
27  417 


The  Shadow  of  the  Czar 

cumstances,  the  best  thing  that  could  have  happened  to 
Czernova.  If  it  could  be  proved  that  the  principality  is 
the  nucleus  of  Polish  conspiracies  directed  against  the 
Czar's  rule,  the  protecting  arm  of  England  will  of  neces 
sity  be  withdrawn.  This  thought  troubled  me  during 
my  interview  with  Lord  Palmerston." 

"  Then  we  will  not  abuse  the  good-will  of  England," 
commented  the  princess.  "  From  henceforth  I  cease  to 
be  a  conspirator.  My  dream  of  a  wider  realm  is  over. 
I  must  leave  to  others  the  liberation  of  Poland,"  she  con 
tinued  with  a  sigh.  "  But,"  she  added,  knitting  her 
brows,  "a  conspirator  I  must  be,  nolens  volens;  for  have 
I  not  secretly  pledged  my  written  word  to  assist  Kossuth 
and  the  Magyars  with  gold,  if  not  with  arms  ?  " 

"  Your  Highness,  I  am  happy  to  state  that  the  treaty  is 
non-existent,"  remarked  Radzivil.  "  The  Hungarian  en 
voy  who  carried  the  treaty,  while  endeavoring  to  pass  the 
Austrian  frontier  in  the  dark,  was  detected  and  chased  by 
the  sentinels;  knowing  that  it  meant  death  to  be  caught 
with  the  document  upon  his  person,  he,  seeing  his  pur 
suers  gaining  upon  him  —  " 

"Destroyed  the  treaty?" 

"  Effectually,  for  he  ate  it." 

Barbara  smiled  sadly  as  she  replied,  "  Kossuth  will 
deem  me  unjust,  but  I  fear  there  can  be  no  renewal  of 
the  treaty." 

"  Your  Highness,"  said  Radzivil,  with  a  significant 
glance  at  Paul,  "  the  first  act  of  to-morrow's  Diet  shall 
be  the  repeal  of  the  princely  marriage  statute." 

"  But,"  whispered  Zabern  to  Katina,  "  since  no  such 
statute  bars  our  way,  why  should  not  old  Faustus  make 
us  one  ere  the  night  come  ?  " 

Katina  blushed  and  averted  her  head.  But,  be  it  noted, 
she  offered  no  opposition  to  the  marshal's  desire. 

"  Princess,"  said  Zabern,  glancing  at  his  watch,  "  your 
coronation  has  been  delayed  two  hours  by  the  action  of 

418 


All 's  Well  that  Ends  Well 

the  duke  and  the  Czar.  Your  loyal  subjects  in  the  cathe 
dral  are  beginning  to  ask  whether  there  is  to  be  any  coro 
nation.  Let  your  Highness  resume  your  place  in  the 
choir,  and  receive  your  lawful  crown,  thus  triumphing 
in  the  very  presence  of  the  Czar." 

The  party  withdrew  from  the  sacristy,  and  the  ladies 
entered  to  aid  the  princess  in  her  robing. 

As  Paul  made  his  appearance  in  the  choir,  he  was 
greeted  with  a  cry  which,  rolling  through  the  cathedral 
and  penetrating  to  the  sacristy,  caused  Barbara's  cheek 
to  color  with  pride  and  pleasure.  For  that  cry  was  — • 

"LONG  LIVE  PAUL,  PRINCE  OF  CZERNOVA1" 


LITTLE,  BROWN,  &  CO.'S 

nrfif  popular  Jf  ittitm 


IN   THE  COUNTRY  GOD   FORGOT 

By  FRANCES    CHARLES.      I2mo.      338  pages.     $1.50. 

Of  this  original  and  engrossing  tale  of  the  Southwest  the  Louisville 
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It  is  essentially  a  rugged  book.  The  particular  woman  and  child 
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lifelong  and  implacable  hatred.  —  New  York  Commercial  Advertiser. 


A   GIRL   OF  VIRGINIA 

By  LUCY  MEACHAM  THRUSTON.  Illustrated  by  Ch. 
Grunwald.  1  2mo.  306  pages.  $1.50. 

Frances  Holloway,  the  daughter  of  a  professor  in  the  University  of 
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By  the  Same  Author 

MISTRESS  BRENT.  A  Story  of  Lord  Baltimore's  Colony 
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NEW    &    POPULAR    FICTION 


LAFITTE   OF   LOUISIANA 

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The  remarkable  career  of  Jean  Lafitte  during  the  French  Revolution 
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By  the  Same  Author 

FROM    KINGDOM    TO     COLONY.      Illustrated    by 

Henry  Sandham.      izmo.      $1.50. 

UP  AND  DOWN  THE  SANDS  OF  GOLD. 

1 2mo.  $1.50. 


THE   GOD  OF  THINGS 

By  FLORENCE  BROOKS  WHITEHOUSE.  Illustrated  by 
the  author.  1 2mo.  288  pages.  $1.50. 

Of  this  novel  of  modern  Egypt  the  Philadelphia  Telegraph  says  :  "  It 
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The  Boston  Herald  says  :  "  Engages  the  attention  of  the  reader  from 
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NEW    3    POPULAR    FICTION 


THE    HEROINE   OF   THE   STRAIT 

By  MARY  CATHERINE  CROWLEY.  Illustrated  by  Ch. 
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A  romance  of  Detroit  in  the  time  of  Pontiac,  of  which  the  Philadel 
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Through  the  story  runs  the  gayety  of  the  French-Canadian,  with  its 
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A  DAUGHTER  OF  NEW  FRANCE.  Illustrated 
by  Clyde  O.  De  Land.  I  2mo.  $1.50. 


A   MAID   OF   BAR   HARBOR 

By  HENRIETTA  G.  ROWE.  Illustrated  by  Ellen  W.  Ahrens. 
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A  fascinating  tale  of  Mt.  Desert  before  and  after  society  had  taken 
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Courier,  "  is  an  example  of  a  pretty,  womanly,  determined  down-east 
girl,  whom  it  is  a  real  pleasure  to  know." 


SIR   CHRISTOPHER 

A  Romance  of  a  Maryland  Manor  in  1644.  By  MAUD 
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Head  of  a  Hundred,"  etc.  Illustrated.  1 2mo.  $1.50.  I2tb 
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IN   THE   EAGLE'S  TALON 

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Mrs.  Stevens  has  felicitously  related  an  absorbing  story  and  has  re-cre 
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—  St.  Louis  Globe-Democrat. 


THE  PHARAOH  AND  THE  PRIEST 

From  the  original  Polish  of  ALEXANDER  GLOVATSKI,  by 
Jeremiah  Curtin,  translator  of  "Quo  Vadis,"  etc.  Illustrated. 
izmo.  $1.50. 

No  novel  of  such  interest  and  power  as  "  The  Pharaoh  and  the 
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author  depicts  vividly  the  desperate  conflict  between  the  secular  and  the 
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century  before  Christ. 


TRUTH  DEXTER 

By  SIDNEY    McCALL.      izmo.      $1.50.     fotb  thousand. 

LITTLE,  BROWN,  &  CO. 

254  WASHINGTON  STREET,   BOSTON,  MASS. 


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